Stay Gone: Fourth Installment to GONE Saga
by SamJayandHolyMae
Summary: Since he could remember, Gabriel Michael Laskaris was certain of two things -he would one day fly a plane and he would marry Viviana de la Luna...she did, after all, belong to him long before he could remember anything else. What he hadn't been counting on was a force strong enough to destroy everything he had believed to be true. AU by HolyMae: -read the first three installments.
1. Prologue

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE saga,_ **so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris growing up years. This prologue is set at eighteen years of age but the first chapter will be set on Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and the story will progress from there.  
**

**Enjoy as you read and remember to review!  
**

**Prologue**

He watched the red-hot sun slowly dive into the bright blue waters, its bleeding colors soaking across a rapidly darkening sky, dim stars growing brighter with every blink and wink.

He stood at the edge of the ocean, the cold water crashing onto the surf, lapping over his bare feet before retreating back into the vast emptiness, leaving behind flotsam that reminded him of broken dreams and unfulfilled desires.

He let out a sigh, staying where he was, hands deep in the pockets of his cut-off jeans.

For the past two years, this moment of the day had found him here, the constant discordant sound of crashing waves somehow numbing the aching pain he'd carried in his heart just as long.

Letting out another sigh, he looked away from the painted sky, its glorious colors lost on him as he focused inward, the images of gold-brown eyes and red-gold hair –blush pink lips spread into that beautiful smile that always made his heart skip a beat –filling his head.

Two years –two years of waiting and hoping, of missing her with every fiber of his being, of wondering why –why had she left him?

Why, if her love had been true as she'd said, had she chosen her brother over him?

Pulling his fisted hand out of his jeans' pocket, he reminded himself he had to move on –he_ was_ moving on.

Here he was, two days away from making his life-long dreams of flying come true…but he knew, if he didn't let her go –along with all those hopes and dreams centered on her…if he didn't leave them –leave her –behind, then he wouldn't make it two steps out of La Push.

Staring down at his fist, he took a deep breath, his eyes closing at the pain that shot across his chest.

He had to do it.

It was going to kill his heart but it was time to let go.

She had left him, after all...she had a life somewhere else –without him.

It was time for him to start living his life as well –and not merely surviving.

That was exactly what he was going to do.

Opening his eyes, he looked at his fist, his mind literally forcing his hand to open, finger by finger, until it revealed what he held.

The sun's last rays dipped into the glass marble, sending the silver star within into a lively dance that winked and fluttered, whispering of sweet times gone by, of promises made and un-kept.

Her smile…her laugh…the way she had touched him with those soft hands…her even softer body…her whispered words of love, sweet kisses full of passion and desire.

Fisting his hand over the marble, he stared across the vast emptiness of the ocean stretching out before him, willing the pain to go away.

It was time…time to throw it all into the nothingness that was the ocean…time to get rid of the nothingness his life had become.

He could feel her, like a whisper following close behind every beat of his heart, a touch that made him take his next breath.

He supposed he was always going to feel her –he would have to live with that, just as he had these last two years.

He was stalling, he knew that –something inside him told him she was near, an electrical current of awareness running through his body but he pushed it aside.

He'd been fooled before; his heart's attempt to hold on to the hope she would one day return to him.

And now, here it was again –desperately attempting to hold on to what he was trying to let go.

And let go he would.

With determination, he raised his arm over his head, so intent on flinging the marble as far into the nothingness as possible that the soft sound of shifting pebbles got lost in the chaos of the crashing waves.

"Gabriel."


	2. Chapter 1

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Chelsea and Gaby -I love you for being the first to review! Hope to hear from both of you in every chapter.  
**

**Kudos in this chapter to Gaby, my idea-Beta. Used one of your many ideas here!  
**

**Chapter One**

_New York City  
April 12__th_

Julie Nelson had a dark secret she kept buried deep inside, heaping non-essential every day banality over it in hopes of making it go away.

Leaning against the window that took up three-quarters of her living room wall, she stared at the cream colored envelope on her desk, still unopened despite having taken it out of her mailbox two weeks ago.

She knew what it was, knew without having to read its contents that it would be the catalyst that would toss her crap up into the air and bring forth the gaping bloody mess that was her heart…her dark secret.

Keeping her arms tight across her chest, she looked over her shoulder, pressing her forehead against the cold glass as she stared at the turbulent waters of the Atlantic Ocean crash up against the docks, the overcast skies a mirror of what she held inside.

She had found this high-rise condo a year after being in New York City, smaller than her last one but more expensive do to its location near the ocean.

It had been this very view that had called to her; a luring whisper that came with every crashing wave, promising relief from her heart ripping pain.

She knew, every time she heard that soft, soft whisper that time was running out for her.

What was worst was not understanding what kept her from slipping into those waters and embracing the cold comfort they taunted her with.

Looking away from the hypnotic undulations of the oceanic waters, her eyes immediately landed on that seemingly innocuous envelope.

Soft words of a softer memory weaved itself through the dark thoughts she held in her head, bringing forth a light that had her shying away in pain.

_Do you think…for however long it might last…we could have something special?_

_Yeah, I believe we can have something special…for however long it lasts._

Biting her lip, she closed her eyes, breathing in through her nose, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out slowly.

He was getting married today.

He was marrying the one he was meant to be with, the one he loved so much he was willing –eager seemingly –to tear apart worlds and universes to be with her.

_However long it lasts…_

Staring at the envelope, she could practically see the delicate calligraphy –probably a pearl or silver ink…_**Seth Clearwater and Rose de Lune**_.

…_we can have something special…_

And that, therein, was where the problem laid.

What had been special to her, he had shred with a few razor sharp words…

_Every time you and I had sex, I would dream of her_…_they only came to me after having sex with you…no other time…just you…_

And after all this time, she was still grappling with the ragged edges of herself, trying to keep her head above water at the same time.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, the pain growing to the point she couldn't handle it anymore.

Pushing away from the window, she moved around the plush cream couch, her bare feet sinking into the plush navy blue carpet as she bend down to pick up one of several notebooks and pens from the glass top coffee table, pulling out the padded bench to sit in front of her grand piano.

She was happy for them yet so jealous it bordered on something dark and painful.

They had found something that seemed to keep eluding her.

Just when she thought it was within her grasp, it slipped away, her fingertips barely brushing the soft edges before she was left with nothing but cold hard reality.

Her fingers moved over the ivory keys without hesitation or difficulty, her ragged emotions spinning and writhing until they began to form words, her pain spilling out in a husky contralto, the melody and harmony constant despite the occasional stops and starts, the notes and words bleeding across paper in black ink.

The ringing phone broke through her concentration as she jotted the last words, quickly drawing in a quarter note, half note, then a rest note before placing the pen on top of her notebook.

Picking up the phone on the sixth ring, she wiped a hand over her wet cheeks as she pressed the TALK button, "Hello?"

"Julie, baby," her manager's cheery voice was like a drill digging into her pounding head, "You are going to love me! I got you an interview on Jay Leno's show three months from today!"

"That's great, Marley," Julie tried to inject some enthusiasm into her voice without success.

"Of course it's great, baby," Marley's New York accent grated on Julie's nerves, "You've got a new CD to promote, not to mention your first tour overseas."

"Right," Julie sighed as she headed to the kitchen, not hungry but knowing she needed to eat something, "Any other reason Jay Leno agreed to have me on the show?"

"Whatever do you mean, darling?"

Julie caught the evasiveness in his voice as her eyes landed on the latest tabloid, "I don't want him asking about Lian Young, Marley. I'm tired of having to defend myself or my music in every interview I do."

"I know, I know," Marley's voice had that 'placate the diva' tone Julie really hated, "I'll talk to Jay, make sure he doesn't ask about that asshole."

"No need for name calling," Julie studied the picture of Lian Young, the words _July Star –Not a Star _in a bubble above his head, "I just don't know what his problem is. We've never even met."

"You don't travel in the same circles, darling," Marley stated in a droll voice, clearing his throat before saying, "Then again, _you_ don't travel in _any_ circles."

"I like to sing, Marley, even perform but I don't like parties," _not after the fiasco with Usher_, she thought to herself as she tossed the tabloid into the trashcan, "Just send me a reminder of the interview a week before, 'kay?"

"You need to let me get you a personal assis –"

"I don't need one," Julie interrupted, putting a pre-emptive stop to that old chestnut.

"Fine, fine," Marley let out an exasperated sigh meant to let her know she was being difficult, "Word of advice, honey."

Julie clenched her jaw, staring unseeingly into the refrigerator, already knowing what was coming, "What?"

"On the day of the interview…up your Prozac dosage."

* * *

"A surprise party!

Leah laughed as she looked down at Vivi, slightly adjusting Alyx under her nursing cover, reaching out to tickle Andrey's bare feet; his giggles made her heart expand with unconditional love.

"A surprise party for what, Vivi?"

"They're coming back in three days," Vivi stood on her tip-toes, her hands gripping the edge of the table to watch Andrey.

He was in his bouncy seat on the table, placidly sucking on his fist as he watched his mother, straightening his chubby legs out with a smile when she stopped tickling him, "So we throw them a surprise welcome home party."

Leah chuckled as she reached to tickle her baby's feet, smiling when he tucked his legs in, his giggles muffled by his tiny fist, "Vivi, they already know they're welcomed home so what's the surprise?"

Vivi's eyes opened wide as she threw her arms up in exuberance, "The party!"

Leah laughed, reaching under the cover to re-adjust her nursing bra and shirt, taking the cover off as she slowly moved a sleeping Alyx up to her shoulder to gently pat his back, "Okay, I like it. Hand me the notepad over there so we can start planning."

Vivi jumped excitedly before skipping to the counter where Leah kept a notepad next to the phone, "We can make a chocolate cake with strawberry frosting," Vivi handed the notepad to Leah, thinking how neat it was because it had a pen attached to it and a border of daisies along the bottom, "It's Tia's favorite!"

"Okay," Leah wrote it down, Alyx cuddled into her shoulder, "What should we have for a meal?"

"Lasagna," Vivi said with a nod, climbing up onto a chair so she could reach Andrey's kicking feet –he loved getting tickled and she thought it was funny, "That's Tio Seth's favorite."

"Alright," Leah smiled as she watched Vivi tickle Andrey's feet, her baby kicking and giggling, his big blue eyes on Vivi, "Who should we invite?"

"Everyone," Vivi looked over at Leah with a look that said it should have been obvious.

"That's a lot of lasagna," Leah muttered under her breath as she jotted something down on the notepad, "Do we get them gifts?"

Vivi sat back on her heels, nibbling on her lip for a few seconds before her face brightened, "I know! Pictures!"

Leah's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Pictures?"

"Uh-hu," Vivi nodded, the ribbons tying her pigtails below her ears fluttering with the motion, "She's always taking pictures and giving them to people. This time, we take pictures and give them to her."

Leah stared at her niece as she thought it over, liking the idea more with every passing second, "Vivi, that's great! I'll buy a bunch of disposable cameras and pass them around, then drop them off tomorrow evening and pick them up the next morning."

Vivi grinned, liking what she was saying, nodding in agreement as Leah continued, "We can string them up all over the house, maybe even hide some in drawers and other places so they can be surprised."

Vivi giggled as she nodded excitedly, "I like it! We can buy a big scrapbook so Tia can put them in there when she finds them."

"I like that," Leah leaned forward to stroke Vivi's cheek, "You're a brilliant girl, Vivi."

She blushed, lowering her gold-brown eyes to the table as she traced a pattern with the tip of her finger.

A small noise had Vivi looking over her shoulder, a smile spreading at the sight of Emmie walking into the kitchen, a hand rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and the other one dragging her teddy bear behind her, "Hi Emmie! Did you enjoy your nap?"

Emmie nodded as she reached up to tug at a lopsided pigtail, letting out a wide yawn before looking at her mother, "Mou here?"

Leah chuckled, amazed at how her little girl, two weeks shy of her third birthday, knew exactly what day it was in direct correlation to Embry's visits, "He'll be here in a few hours, baby. Are you going to show him your new dollies?"

Emmie nodded excitedly, lifting her teddy bear into her arms –the same one Rick had given to Leah when she was pregnant with their little girl –giving it a squeeze as she looked up at Vivi with bright blue eyes, "Vivi play dollies?"

"Okay," Vivi clambered off the chair, Emmie taking her hand as they made their way down the hall to her room.

With a smile, Leah looked over at Andrey, her baby boy having succumbed to the power of sleep that had claimed his brother.

Carefully placing Alyx on the matching bouncy seat next to Andrey, she clicked the harness in place, softly placing a kiss on each of their warm foreheads before heading for the phone.

She was going to need help planning this impromptu party and she knew just who to call.


	3. Chapter 2

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! Gaby, lette, Chelsea, DripDrop, and Ses -I love you guys!  
**

**Kudos to my idea-Beta...another one of her ideas used in this chapter. Love you Gaby!  
**

**Chapter Two**

_San Sebastian, Spain_

Rose leaned against the door frame, breathing in the sweet aroma of her _café con leche_ as she studied the beautiful sight before her.

The room they had called their own for the past two weeks was sparsely yet beautiful furnished, the walls whitewashed, sheer white curtains gently dancing with the breeze that came through the open terrace doors, the morning light filling the airy room, giving it that early beautiful morning glow.

A beautiful royal blue rug covered the light wood flooring, the tiled border along the top of the walls the same rich hue.

The large wrought iron bed was the focal point of the room and although everything was beautiful to look at, her complete concentration was centered on the sole occupant of that rumpled bed.

She let her eyes roam over his body –spread face down on his side of the bed –as she took a sip from her coffee mug, admiring the way the muscles of his back rippled with every breath he took, the sun's rays caressing his skin, bringing out a beautiful reddish hue that contrasted wonderfully against the white cotton sheet covering him hip to knee, a muscled leg dangling off the side of the bed.

Letting out a sigh, she crossed her ankles as she took another sip of the hot liquid, wishing she could take a picture of him.

Unfortunately, he had made her promise never to photograph him when he was unconscious –and naked.

Rose giggled as she remembered the pictures she had taken the morning after their first night there…he had looked so beautiful as the early morning sun touched his face, relaxed in sleep –she hadn't been able to help herself.

Without even developing those pictures, she already knew which would be her favorite –just waking up, he had given her a sweet sleepy smile that made her wonder what a little boy of theirs would look like.

Pushing away from the door frame as she uncrossed her ankles, she quietly moved across the warm floor, placing her coffee mug on the side table next to a royal blue vase filled with two dozen white roses.

Carefully climbing onto the bed, she reclined against the pillows, the hem of his shirt –which she was wearing –riding up her thigh as she drew her knees up.

He let out a sigh before turning his face away from her, burrowing his arms under his pillow before settling.

She tilted her head, hair sliding over her shoulder as she watched him sleep, several seconds quietly passing by before she reached out, gently trailing her fingers down his back, watching the way his muscles contracted and relaxed, a trail of goosebumps left behind as she drew patterns over his hot skin.

Even in sleep, he reacted to her touch, the heat in his body slowly climbing up as she moved her fingers closer to the edge of the cotton sheet.

Biting her bottom lip, she moved closer, sliding down the bed to lean over him, her lips soft as she kissed the dip between his shoulder blades, her hand moving over his hip and under the sheet, softly stroking the taut muscles of his buttocks as she trailed soft little kisses up his back, occasionally giving him nipping bites.

_He was so beautiful. _Rose buried her nose into the side of his neck as he let out a sleepy hum, breathing him in while moving a hand up his back as she nibbled on his ear.

_He was beautiful and he was all hers._

Moving her lips to the back of his neck, she placed a kiss at the base of it, her teeth scraping against his skin before she bit down.

"Fuck," Seth turned to look at her as he pulled her into his arms, wedging her halfway under him as he buried his face into her neck, "You sure know how to wake a guy up in the morning."

Rose giggled, wiggling further under him as he trailed kisses down her chest, his erection pressed against her thigh as he moved his hand down her back and under the shirt, stroking his fingers over her bare bottom, "I didn't think you'd want to sleep away our last day here."

She felt Seth's smile against her skin, his nose brushing over the swell of her breast as he asked, "Got something particular to do in mind?"

Rose ran her fingers through his hair as he moved his hand over her hip, his thumb brushing over the raised skin there, "I just did my yoga."

"Ah," Seth lifted his head to smile into her hazel eyes, "Well, that explains why you're so frisky this morning."

She laughed, watching him as he stroked her hip again, a look of awe and pure lust in his eyes as he studied the blue and black ink tattooed into her skin, his fingers tracing the delicate calligraphy of his name, two staggered puppy paw-prints beside the _h_, "I still can't believe you actually did this."

Rose's stomach muscles tightened as he moved down to place a kiss on the inked skin, the tattoo no bigger than a business card, "I thought it would make a good wedding gift for you."

"Mhm," he hummed against her skin, his open mouth moving up her flat stomach, "Definitely a good wedding gift. Now, any time you wear one of those skimpy bikinis you brought with you, every man looking at you will know you're mine."

Rose let out a shuddering breath, her arms moving over his back as he covered her body with his, fingers tugging at the buttons holding the shirt close, "What about the ring on my finger?"

Seth chuckled as he pushed his shirt off her shoulders, her fingernails dragging over his shoulders and down his chest as he completely removed the shirt, tossing it aside with a smile, "Some guys don't know how to take that hint."

Rose arched her back as he kissed her neck, moaning as a hand slid between her thighs, his fingers finding her slick and ready, "Did you ever ignore that hint?"

"Baby," his breath was hot against her sensitive skin as he flicked a pebbled nipple with the tip of his tongue, "I never liked playing with someone else's toys."

Rose's surprised laugh turned into a soft groan as he sank two fingers into her, his mouth closing over her nipple and sucking hard.

"Is that –" her breath hitched before she teasingly whispered into his ear, "Is that what I am," her fingernails dragged down his back, a smile spreading across her face as he shivered, "Your toy?"

"Mine," Seth growled as he kissed her, rising over her body, hands on either side of her head, "All mine."

Rose let out a moan as he slowly pushed into her, wrapping her long legs around him and digging her fingers into his hips as she softly exhaled, "Yes. All yours."

* * *

They walked hand in hand down the _Paseo de la Concha, _having had breakfast at the _Restaurante Narru_ down from where they were staying.

"So what would you like to do on our last day here," Seth asked as he slid his hand into the pocket of his khaki pants, the other holding on to his wife's small hand, his thumb occasionally stroking over her wedding ring, "The only things planned for today is dinner at _La Habana_ followed by drinks and dancing at _La Rot –_that place."

Rose laughed, her hair rippling down her back as she looked up at him, "_La Rotunda."_

"You can keep showing me how but I'll never be able to get around the _r_," he smiled at her laugh as he tried to roll his _r_ without success.

"As long as you can say the important things I've taught you," Rose smiled as he stopped, pulling her into his arms and resting his forehead against hers.

"Well, let's see how good of a teacher you are," Seth tilted his head to the side, kissing her smiling mouth before whispering against her soft lips, "_Te amo._" ***I love you***

Her smile spread into a grin, "And who am I?"

"_Mi nena linda,_" Seth whispered as he gently nipped her bottom lip, "_Mi esposa_." ***My lovely baby. My wife***

Rose reached up to frame his face, taking him by surprise as she pushed her tongue into his mouth, the kiss sweet and hot at the same time.

Moving his hands up her back under the mint green cardigan she wore over a white summer dress, he pulled her against him, his thumbs brushing the sides of her full breasts.

A high pitched whistle had them breaking apart, Rose letting out a soft hum as she stroked the back of his neck, "I always forget where we are when you kiss me."

"Ah, then I'm not alone…and you kissed me."

Rose smiled as she kissed his bottom lip, whispering into his mouth before stepping, "You're never alone…and as your wife, I can kiss you anytime I want."

Seth grinned as she slid her hands down his arms to lace her fingers through his, her eyes turning slightly sad as she softly said, "I'd like to say good-bye to my parents…then we can rent a boat and go to _Isla Santa Clara_ for lunch."

Seth nodded, leaning down to kiss her nose as he squeezed her hands before letting one go, continuing their stroll, the lapping waves of the bay soft music accompanied by the chatter of locals and tourists alike, "Being we've seen your parents every day for the past ten days, it's only fitting we say good-bye before we leave."

Rose smiled, wrapping her arm around his as she leaned her head against his shoulder, her lips brushing a kiss against the hot skin below the sleeve hem of his casual button down shirt, avidly watching the people around them as they made their way to the train station off of the _Paseo_.

Seth turned his head to kiss the top of hers, breathing in the cherry blossom scent that was uniquely hers before saying in a nonchalant voice, "They don't like me."

Rose's dark eyebrows lowered in confusion as she looked up at him, "Who?"

"Your parents."

Rose let out a rich laugh, stopping to reach down and adjust the straps of her sandals as she looked up at him, "What makes you say that?"

"A bird crapped on me last time we were there," Seth was doing a pretty good job at keeping a serious face –unfortunately, Rose wasn't doing as well, "That was totally a coincidence!"

"A coincidence," he gave her an affronted look, "Is it a coincidence the bird crapped on me right after you told your parents we had sex before getting married? Which, by the way, was it really necessary to tell them that?"

Rose laughed as they continued their walk, taking their time to reach the train station that would take them to the _Cemeterio Polloe _where her parents had been buried, "My parents would have loved you."

Seth smiled at that, reaching up to readjust the strap of Rose's camera bag over his shoulder, "I'm sure your dad would have made me sweat."

Rose placed a kiss on the back of his hand, "He always had a knack for making Arturo nervous whenever he came to ask me out to play."

"Good," Seth nodded as they reached the train station, pulling out his wallet once they walked up to an open toll window, "Any boy comes around knocking and asking for my daughter is going to get the crap scared out of him."

Rose laughed as he paid for their tickets, slowly ambling to their terminal holding hands, "Good thing that's going to be a long while."

"How long of a while," Seth found an empty bench, sitting down and pulling her into his lap, "You do want children, don't you?"

"I do, it's just…" Rose played with the collar of his shirt as the trauma of the night the twins had been born rushed in on her, "I'm not sure I'm quite ready for the pregnant part of having children."

Seth reached up to cup his hand over her cheek, his thumb stroking her bottom lip, "There's no hurry, baby. We've got plenty of time to get started on babies later. For now…I'll enjoy having you to myself."


	4. Chapter 3

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Enjoy all! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far! Ses -baby bump is mentioned on the wedding chapter of Seth's story but it's Kim's baby bump.  
**

**Chapter Three**

Gabe scowled as he stared at the egg-timer, wishing he could shake it to make time go faster but Daddy placed in on a high shelf and he couldn't reach it.

Crossing his arms and ankles as he let out an irritated sigh, he thought about why he was on time-out, just like Daddy had told him too.

He hadn't done it on purpose or to be mean, but Emmie shouldn't have tried to take his truck away when he was playing with it.

He had told her no and gave her one of the other ones but she wanted the blue and red one in his hand and grabbed it from him!

That hadn't been nice and it made him mad so he pushed her –not too hard but hard enough that she fell back on her bottom and started crying, tears running down her face by the time Daddy had picked her up and send him to Uncle Seth's office for a time-out.

Looking up at the timer, he wiggled deeper into the corner of the couch, looking over at the open door as he wrinkled his nose, unhappy that all of them were out there, laughing and talking.

Everyone was having fun getting everything ready for the party they were doing because Uncle Seth was coming back from his 'neymoon and here he was, on time-out for pushing his sister.

It hadn't been nice, he supposed, but she needed to learn not to take his toys when he was playing with them!

Why didn't Daddy put her on time-out?

Grabbing wasn't nice –mama had told him so –which meant she should have gotten a time-out too!

A small noise had him look towards the open door, watching as Zaky toddled in, holding a train in one hand which he held out with a smile, "Play?"

"I can't, Zak," Gabe shook his head, feeling bad when Zaky's smile went away, "I'm on time-out."

Zaky crouched down, placing the train on the floor before crawling on his hands and knees under the coffee table.

Gabe watched as his little brother sat back on his bottom, scooting closer to the legs of the table to lean forward and look up at him, "Boo!"

Gabe giggled as Zaky sat back out of sight.

This was Zaky's favorite game to play with anyone who wanted to play it with him and Gabe knew just what to say, "Peek-a…"

"Boo," Zaky exclaimed as he leaned forward to grin up at Gabe for a few seconds before pulling back.

Gabe tucked his legs under him to kneel on the couch, "Peek-a…"

Zaky giggled as he leaned forward to look out from under the table, "Boo!"

"Hey, you two."

Two sets of blue eyes, identical in shape and color, looked up towards the door.

Daddy smiled down at them before looking at Gabe, "Your time-out's up, _kyrio_."

"Yay," Gabe exclaimed as he jumped off the couch, almost making it out the door before Daddy called, "Don't forget to apologize to Emmie before you go out to play."

"Okay!"

Zaky stared up at his father with that little serious face of his, giggling when Daddy dropped down to the floor on his hands and knees, "Peek-a…"

"Boo!"

* * *

Embry was having a hard time swallowing back a laugh at the look of torture on Gabe's face but he did a pretty good job at it.

Emmie gave her brother's neck one last squeeze before planting a big juicy kiss on his cheek, letting go with a pleased smile on her face.

"You can play with my truck now," Gabe told her, handing her the blue and red truck, Emmie's squeal of joy making her brother smile before he turned to run into the kitchen and out to the backyard where all the other kiddos were playing.

Turning his smile back to Emmie, he watched as she struggled to get up onto the couch –something she could do already but she refused to let go of the truck and wouldn't let him help –a big smile breaking across her face once she managed it, standing up on the cushion to run the truck across the back of the couch, making occasional engine noises, Embry chuckling as she poked out her bottom lip in concentration.

There were times when Emmie would want to spend hours playing with him and sometimes, like now, she preferred playing alone or with the other kids as long as he was within sight.

Either way, he didn't mind. Time spent with her –however she wanted –was precious and jealously guarded by both of them.

Dragging his backpack from the end of the couch, he settled back against the couch, his long legs stretched under the coffee table, smiling up at Emmie when she patted her small hand against his head, her beautiful smile his reward before she went back to what she'd been doing.

He could get some homework done before the rest of the pack and families arrived, he thought as he checked his watch. He had an hour of relatively quiet time to get at least one reading assignment done for his Government class.

The time passed quietly, occasional small breaks from reading offered by Emmie, which he gladly took, never once losing his patience even when he was in the middle of note-taking.

By the time he was one paragraph away from finishing, Emmie had clambered off the couch -bringing along the truck -to climb into his lap, tapping a small finger against the page of his open textbook as she looked up at him, her big blue eyes twinkling.

"Want me to read to you," Embry asked as he set his notebook aside, Emmie nodding as she turned to look at the small text, chuckling as she squinted her eyes, "Want to go get one of your books?"

Emmie shook her head as she pointed at his textbook again, looking up at him with one of her 'aren't I cute' smiles, "Mou read this!"

"Okay," Embry shrugged, glad it wasn't a biology textbook as he began halfway through the essay on the Industrial War and its effects on governmental politics and proceedings –better that than the functions of the human body.

He was a few words shy of finishing the essay when a knock at the front door sounded, both of them looking up –Emmie's rosebud mouth was in a little _O,_ something she did whenever someone knocked on a door –as Leah exited the kitchen to cross the living room floor and open the door, Paul and Rachel standing at the other side, "Hey you two! Did you bring the lasagna and your pictures?"

"Lasagna's right here," Rachel patted at an insulated tote bag she had slung over her shoulder, giving Emmie a wave, the little girl giggling as she waved back.

"And I've got our pictures," Paul yanked out a thick envelope from the back pocket of his jeans, a look on his face that let Leah know she did not want to see those, "When do we start hanging them up?"

"We still have two more hours before Charlie heads to Sea-TAC to pick them up," Leah closed the door, following behind them towards the kitchen, giving her daughter a smile before blowing her a kiss.

Emmie giggled, pressing her palm against her mouth before she stretched her arm out towards her mother, laughing as Leah closed her hand in the air before placing the "kiss" on her own mouth.

"What are you reading to her," Paul stopped at the arched entrance into the kitchen, Leah and Rachel chattering along with Sue and Emily as they did whatever they were doing in there.

"We're reading about the Industrial War," Embry looked down at Emmie as she smiled up at him, "Right Princess?"

Emmie nodded, sticking a finger into her smiling mouth as she turned to smile up at Paul, her soft pigtails –with little pink polka dotted barrettes that matched her dress which had a white puppy on the front –brushing against Embry's nose.

"You're going to turn her into a braniac, aren't you," Paul frowned at Embry, laughing when Emmie pulled a face at him, something she tended to do whenever she saw someone frown.

"I've got nothing to do with her brains," Embry closed his textbook and set it on the coffee table, Emmie laughing as he tickled her sides, "She's a genius all on her own."

Paul shook his head with a laugh, heading into the kitchen and leaving those two to their games as he called out, "Wait until you see out pictures, Lee!"

Emmie laughed as Embry continued to tickle her, twisting to the side as she tucked in her legs, lying across his lap.

Embry smiled down at her as he stopped, "All done?"

Emmie looked up at him with a big grin, her finger in her mouth –he knew she was hooking it over her small bottom teeth –as she shook her head, blue eyes lighting up as he ran his fingers down her sides again, her sweet laughter the very music that made his world go round.

His Princess was ready for some serious one-on-one play time.

His day couldn't possibly get any better than this.

* * *

Vivi wasn't exactly sure what was going on but she knew if she didn't ask, she was never going to know, "Why can't I play with Bradley?"

"'Cause he's a boy," Gabe gave her a look she had learned to recognize as his 'duh' look, "You're gonna marry me so you can't play with other boys."

Vivi's eyebrows lowered as she thought it over, looking towards the sandbox where Marc was helping Lili build a sandcastle, "Can I play with Marc?"

Gabe frowned as he looked over at Marc, the little boy completely immersed on the building project he didn't look their way, wishing he could say no but, "He's your brother so he doesn't count."

Brad let out a sigh, tired of waiting for Vivi to take her turn.

Pushing himself to his feet, he ran across the yard towards the monkey bar dome where his sister was climbing to the top, Ian attempting to follow after her.

Besides, his cousin had just said Vivi couldn't play with him so Brad assumed that meant he couldn't play with her.

Vivi turned to look at Nika –who sat beside her –for a few seconds before looking up at Gabriel, "What about you? You play with girls."

"Na-ah," Gabe's eyebrows lowered in confusion as Vivi nodded, "Who?"

"Bailey."

Gabe scoffed as he uncrossed his arms, waving a hand in dismissal at Vivi's words, "She doesn't count."

"Why not?"

"She plays boy games," Gabe rolled his eyes as if this was supposed to be the most obvious thing, "It's like she's a boy."

"But she's a girl. If I can't play with boys then you can't play with girls."

"I'm telling you," Gabriel sat down on the concrete, taking the rubber ball from amongst the jacks, "She's not a girl-girl like you and Nika."

Vivi frowned, looking over at Nika who just shrugged her shoulders as Gabriel exclaimed, "Let's start a new game."

"Okay," Vivi pushed her jacks to the middle, Nika returning hers one at a time –she had been winning and now she was going to have to start all over.

Vivi nibbled on her bottom lip as she watched Gabe bounce the ball, was what he said true?

Vivi watched as he handed the rubber ball to Nika, thinking that maybe she needed to ask Tia Rosa. She had lots of friends that were boys –like Matt and Andy and Colt and Tony –she would know if she can't be friends with them anymore 'cause she was married now.

"Gabe!"

The three of them looked towards Bailey, the little brunette clambering down from the top of the dome, Brad following after her as she yelled out, "We're gonna have a race!"

"Cool," Gabe tossed the rubber ball into Vivi's lap, the little dip on her skirt –stretched over her knees –catching it neatly as he ran across the yard to where Bailey stood with Marc and Brad, Ian having joined Lili in the sandbox, "First one around the house wins!"

Vivi and Nika watched as all four of them took off, a few seconds passing before they looked at each other.

"Leah told me boys are dumb," Vivi said as she picked up the rubber ball, Nika nodding in agreement, "Mama told me the same thing."

"Do you think it's true," Vivi bounced the ball, managing to snag three jacks before it hit the floor again.

"I know it's true," Nika caught the ball on its second bounce, bouncing it again and grabbing four jacks, "This boy at school pulls my hair every day."

"Why?"

"I don't know," Nika shrugged her shoulders as Vivi took her turn.

"Tell him to stop."

"I did," Nika threw her hands up in a show of aggravation, "But he still pulls my hair! Mama says that's what boys do when they like a girl."

"Boys are mean to the girl they like," Vivi asked as she stared at Nika in open mouthed shock.

"Uh-hu," she nodded sagely, picking up the rubber ball with one hand as she brushed back fine black hair from her face.

"That's dumb."

"Told you," Nika lifted a shoulder, her brown eyes dancing as she smiled at her best friend, "Boys are dumb."


	5. GONE Family Tree

**GONE Family Trees**

**I have had a few requests concerning the children in my story and who they belong too and because they're important in this story, I've decided to post a family tree chapter-this will be updated as children are added to families (mostly the La Push families), so whenever you see a new name crop up, you can refer back to this to see where the child fits in and who he/she belongs too. ~HolyMae~  
**

**My idea-Beta agreed with my suggestion of adding the current imprints to the family tree to help keep that in line for y'all as well. Their names will be in italics.  
**

***I decided to add birthdays to the kiddos to keep myself on track -wouldn't want to birth a five month baby thinking it's full term. Anyway, birthdays are going to come into play throughout the story so I thought I'd help you help me keep these important dates in track.  
**

****I just realized I need to make things easy on myself and keep track of the kids' ages...so I'll be updating this every time one of them have a birthday...ya? That should help me, and you, get an idea on the timeline of the story. So if confused, come to this chapter and check out the ages.**

***** To help myself not lose track, I've added the grade level of each kid and will update them with each new school year, especially due to Emmie skipping school year(s).  
**

****** Basically, I'm updating this chapter with every new chapter I post...helps me keep track of the ages that way. So with every new chapter, check this one out -that way, you won't be surprised when a new name/baby pops up, which tends to happen especially in the Laskaris household...not to mention Paul and his crazy thoughts of catching up to Rick and Leah -although Rachel has A LOT to say about that...and none of it good.**

**~ If you read and found that funny, post a review!**

* * *

**Sam/Emily Uley  
**

7/14 (14y) **10****thgrd***Bailey Susannah (Twin A) ~_Brady Kale_  
7/14 (14y)** 10thgrd** *Bradley Steven (Twin B)  
5/8 (10y) **6****th****grd***Liliandra Jessie

* * *

**Rick/Leah Laskaris**

5/7 (13y) **9****thgrd***Gabriel Michael  
5/10 (10y) **8****th****grd***Emerie Rachel ~_Embry James Call_  
12/13 (8y)**4thgrd***Zakery Harold  
1/22 (7y) **3rd****grd***Andrey Niko (Twin A)  
1/22 (7y) **3rdgrd***Alyx Milo (Twin B)  
4/14 (6y) **2ndgrd***Tyresse Kiannah  
3/27 (2y) *Xavier Ilean  
11/12 (7m) *Erick Micah

* * *

**Jared/Kim Hatch**

10/10 (12y) **9thgrd***Monika Rae ~_Douglas "Dougie" Mortsen_  
6/3 (11y) **7****thgrd***Ian Sean  
9/23 (5y) **2ndgrd***Patrick Roy

* * *

**Seth/Rosa Maria Clearwater**  
Six Months Pregnant

6/21 (3y) *Carlos Esteban  
3/6 (15y) **10****thgrd***Marcos Andres de la Luna (Twin A)  
3/6 (13y) **9thgrd***Viviana Gabriela de la Luna (Twin B)

* * *

**Paul/Rachel Lahote**

2/13 (5y) **1stgrd***Marilynn Sarah (Twin A)  
2/13 (5y) **1stgrd***Kaitlynn Skye (Twin B)  
1/14 (2y) *William Jacob

* * *

**Brandon/Daisy Fuller**

11/24 (3yr) *Eden Marie

* * *

**Julian/July Young****  
**

4/8 (2y) *Jillian Sying


	6. Chapter 4

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Thank you all for the reviews! Would like more! Kudos to my idea-Beta Gaby...used another of your ideas in this chapter!  
**

**Chapter Four**

Marc was working hard not to laugh as he watched his sister practically bubble over with excitement, the sound of slamming car doors having everyone shush each other, the living room packed with friends and family as they waited for Tia Rosa and Tio Seth to walk through the front door.

He wrinkled his nose, realizing it just didn't sound right calling him Tio Seth. He had wanted to give it a try but to him, the word brought to mind endless night's of patient care despite obvious uncertainty about their nature.

Back then, Marc had tried not to get attached when he could tell she wasn't sure of him –of them –or of her ability to love them as they were.

He had somewhat succeeded, coming off as being cold –sometimes even mean –and she hadn't been able to tell that in reality, he loved her unconditionally.

How could he not when he had felt his mama's love for her little sister from the moment he was conceived?

And although he was able to contain himself better than his sister, he too was excited to see his Tia after two long weeks…

Would she be just as excited to see them?

Vivi covered her mouth with both hands to silence an involuntary squeal as they heard Uncle Seth's –okay, that sounded much better –voice just outside the door, Paul and Collin snickering under their breath at what he was saying, "I know we already live together in the house, baby, but this is where we enter as a married couple so I need to carry you over the threshold…it's not like I'm gonna drop you, Rose!"

Hushed chuckles as Paul whispered to Collin, "What a dork," a hand over his mouth keeping Rachel –who stood in front of him –from hearing, Collin's snickers turning into a soft groan as Lyn's elbow met his ribcage.

Shaking his head at their silliness, Marc turned his attention back to the front door as it opened, Vivi jumping up and down at Tia's gasp of surprise as everyone shouted:

"SORPRESA!"

"Oh my," Tia's surprise morphed into joy as Uncle Seth –he looked goofy with that big grin on his face –let her down to stand on her own two feet, "What is this?"

"A welcome home party," Leah said with a smile that Marc could hear in her husky voice, "It was all Vivi's idea."

Tia Rosa's eyes were bright as she looked away from one of the many pictures hanging on twine they had criss-crossed from one side of the living room to the other, smiling down at Vivi before turning her smile his way.

"I missed you two," her voice was soft and slightly choked as she got down on one knee, opening her arms to them.

Vivi ran across the short space, wrapping her skinny arms around her neck as Marc took a more sedate pace, surprised as a tight sensation across his chest released when her arm wrapped around him to pull him into a tight hug.

Her hair was soft against his cheek as he leaned his head against her chest. The mixed scents of her hair, skin and breathe along with the steady beat of her heart gave him comfort he hadn't been aware of needing.

"We missed you too," Vivi pulled back to smile into her eyes, small fingers touching her sun-kissed face, "You got a tan! Is it all over?"

Everyone laughed at Rose's blush, Vivi moving out of her arms to jump up into Seth's arms, "I missed you too, Tio Seth!"

"Same here, Ladybug," Seth swung her up, buzzing Vivi's cheek as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her laughter making Marc smile.

Kissing his forehead, Tia ruffled her fingers through his shaggy hair, "You're in need of a haircut, Marc."

He nodded, wishing he could stay in the safe haven of her arms a little longer but it was getting harder to fight back the saliva and venom pooling in his mouth.

Stepping back, he swallowed hard before looking up at Seth, "I missed you too, Uncle Seth."

Seth's face brightened with a smile as he reached down to rest his hand on Marc's head, Gabe scrambling off the couch where he had been playing tickle with Andrey –the baby was cuddled in Granma Sue's arms –to join the small huddle, "He's my uncle, not yours."

"Gabriel," there was obvious displeasure in Leah's voice, the shame that crossed Gabe's face making it obvious he realized he'd done something wrong, "That was not nice. Besides, now that your uncle Seth is married to Marc's aunt, it means he's also their uncle…and they're your cousins now."

Gabe's eyebrows lowered in displeasure as he looked up at Vivi in Seth's arms before turning to look at his mother, "Vivi's my cousin now?"

"Yes. So is Marc."

Marc couldn't hold back a pleased smile as Gabe looked at him, leaning forward to whisper in a smug voice, "And cousins can't get married."

* * *

"I give it three days before you two start fighting."

"What," Rose and Seth looked over at Paul in surprise, Seth shaking his head as he stated snobbishly, "We don't fight."

"Unless you're being a jealous idiot," Rose looked down at him with a smile, an arm around his shoulders –she was sitting on his lap being the chairs in the kitchen were limited.

"Hey," Seth looked up at her, his frown not lasting long as she gave him a big grin, "Not nice."

"But true," Rose kissed his mouth before looking over at the remaining guests –Collin and Lyn still had a few weeks of schoolwork to go before graduation, Daisy had lesson plans to prepare and Sue headed home to make dinner for Charlie –all of them staring with big smiles, "What?"

"You two are so cute," Leah said as she leaned back into Rick's arms, his chin resting at the top of her head, "Still in the honeymoon stage."

"Aren't you and Rick still in the honeymoon stage," Rose asked seriously, giggling at the blush that stole over Leah's face as Paul scoffed, "Are you kidding? Those two are on the baby making stage."

"No way," Rick shook his head, giving Leah a stern look as she turned her face up to his, "Not anymore. We've got five already, we're done. Let someone else start making babies."

Leah didn't say anything, simply smiled as she kissed his lips before turning to look at Rose, her new sister-in-law giggling at the discernible twinkle in the slanted brown-green eyes.

Rick really needed to get to know his wife better –Rose was certain six or seven months down the road would bring an announcement for baby Laskaris number six…she could almost bet on it.

"I really hate it when you ignore me for another boy," Paul glowered at his wife from where he was leaning against the wall between the window and back door, "It's almost impossible for me to recuperate from that kind of treatment."

"Not my fault," Rachel looked up from the bright blue eyes she had been smiling into, shrugging as she explained, "Every once in a while, a girl needs a bit of flirting and since you've slacked off on that department, I gotta get it wherever else I can."

They all laughed, Alyx reaching up to pat Rachel's cheeks, his chubby legs pushing against her stomach as she kept her hands secure under his armpits.

"Right, Alyx," Rachel leaned forward to touch her nose to his, laughing when he gave her a toothless grin, the dimple on his right cheek deep enough to dip a finger into it, "You know how to treat a pretty girl, don't you?"

Gurgling as he waved his arms, he slipped his small fingers into Rachel's mouth, his giggles sweet as she nibbled on them.

Paul shook his head as he scrunched his nose, Alyx looking over Rachel's shoulder at him with a big grin, giggling as he stuck a small fist into his mouth, "You need to learn not to flirt with married women, Alyx. It'll get you in trouble when you're older."

"You should know, right," Seth looked over his shoulder at Paul, his eyes catching something taped under the corner of a frame behind Paul's head, "What…the hell…is that?"

Paul grinned as he moved to his left until the door was behind him, "Just something-something to help Rose get revved up."

Seth urged Rose to her feet, standing up to pull the glossy four by eight picture from the wall, Paul already halfway out the door as he turned to glare at Rachel, "What the hell is wrong with your husband?"

"Nothing," Rachel laughed as Alyx cuddled into her chest, a sigh escaping him as he closed his baby blue eyes, "My husband has a very hot body –I don't mind giving out a sneak peek or two."

Seth shook his head, tossing the picture towards the trash can before heading out the door at a full run, Paul's laughter coming from the forest as Seth yelled out, "I'm going to kill you, you sick bastard!"

Rose bend down to pick up the picture from the floor where it had landed, her face turning red as the rest of the people in the kitchen laughed.

It was a close up picture of Paul's –according to him and Rachel –abdominals, the muscles defined, tapering down into a vee, low slung jeans keeping the picture from being truly revealing, "Rachel!"

"Hey," Rachel shrugged as she rubbed Alyx's small back, the baby sucking on his fist occasionally, his small head snuggled in the crook of her shoulder, "I kept the really raunchy ones…just thought, since you're branching out to this kind of photography, you might be interested in another model besides Seth."

"What!"

Leah, Rachel, Emily and Kim laughed, their husbands shaking their heads with a chuckle as Rachel looked over at Leah, "Did I not tell you! I _knew_ her lighting up like a roman candle when she mentioned photo paper back in December involved risqué pictures of Seth."

"My goodness, Rose," Leah shook her head, tongue in cheek as she gave Rose an arched look, "I never thought you had it in you to be so…perverted."

Rose's face was turning a deep red, everyone laughing as she placed the photograph upside down on the table, letting out a sniff, "He's my husband and I can do whatever I want with him."

"That's the spirit!"

* * *

Gabe wiggled his toes as he stretched his legs, tugging his pajamas down to his ankles as he listened to his sister's giggles, Daddy's voice deep and low coming from the bathroom where he was giving her a bath.

He knew the twins were already asleep in mama and Daddy's room because they had an earlier bedtime but she still needed to put Zaky in his crib so he knew he would be able to ask her a very important question.

Letting out a huff as he fell back onto his bed, he stared at the ceiling, trying to find the stars mama had stuck up there to make a sky but with the lights on, it wasn't easy.

"Time for bed, Zaky," mama called from the living room, little feet padding down the hall.

Turning to look at the open door, he smiled as Zaky ran in, wearing nothing but a diaper, his hair still wet from his bath as mama ran in behind him with his pajamas in one hand.

"I got ya," mama crowed as she swept him up into her arms, Zaky laughing as she buzzed his cheek, twirling him around before she placed him on his back at the end of Gabe's bed, the little boy turning onto his stomach to push himself up on his feet.

Gabe sat up, crossing his legs as mama picked up Zaky to lay him back down, his little brother smiling as he kicked his legs, making it hard for mama to put on his footie pajamas but mama always won.

"What's got you so quiet, baby," mama asked him as she slipped the blue pjs over Zaky's diaper, leaning forward to blow a raspberry against his round tummy, Zaky laughing as he patted her head with his small hands.

Gabe bit down on his bottom lip, looking over to the door to make sure Daddy hadn't heard her before turning his blue eyes back to his mama, "Is Vivi really my cousin?"

"Well," mama took one of Zaky's arms, tickling his armpit before slipping it into the sleeve, "She's not your cousin-cousin like Bailey. Why?"

Gabe let out a sigh as he watched mama finally zip up Zaky's teddy bear pajamas, his brother standing up on the bed to throw his arms around mama's neck, "Cousins can't marry each other, right?"

"Right," she stood up, moving towards the rocking chair on the corner near the crib where Zaky slept, "Why do you ask?"

"I want to marry Vivi when I grow up," Gabe tugged at the hem of his pajama bottoms, his little shoulders slumped in dejection, "But she's my cousin so I can't marry her."

Gabe watched mama blink a few times before she smiled at him, rubbing Zaky's back as he settled his head on her shoulder, the teddy bear face on his bottom stuck up in the air as he tucked his knees under his tummy, "Vivi is your cousin by marriage which means you don't share blood so, if you still want to marry her when you're both all grown up, you can."

"Really," Gabe straightened his back, a smile spreading across his face as he watched mama slowly rock back and forth.

"Yes," mama nodded as she gently patted Zaky's bottom, "Why do you want to marry Vivi?"

"'Cause she's pretty," Gabe moved to get on his knees so he could grab his sheet –which was covered in consterlations –from the bottom of the bed, sitting back on his bottom as he pulled the sheet over his legs, "And she's smart and funny too. She told a really funny joke at school the other day. Wanna hear it?"

"Sure," mama smiled as she slowed down her rocking and Gabe knew his little brother was asleep –the rocking chair always did the job.

"This elephant walks into a room full of people," Gabe looked up at the ceiling as he tried to remember what was next, a smile breaking across his face as he looked back at mama, "And everyone looks at him but they don't say anything. After a long time of no talking, the elephant says, 'Is no one gonna say anything 'bout me being in the room?'"

Mama laughed, Zaky jerking awake for a few seconds before turning his head to settle back to sleep on mama's other shoulder, his little hand kneading the side of her neck.

"It's funny, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," mama nodded as she stood up, gently placing Zaky in his crib, leaning down to kiss his forehead before she spread the soft blue and brown blankie over him.

"What does it mean?"

Mama chuckled as she moved to kneel next to his bed, Gabe wiggling down to rest his head on his pillow as mama spread the sheet to tuck him in, "You don't know what it means?"

"Nope."

"Then how do you know it's funny," mama brushed back his hair, smiling into his blue eyes as he reached up to touch her cheek.

"Miss Annie laughed so it must be funny," Gabe moved his fingers up to her eyebrow as he smiled at her, "You're pretty, mama."

"Prettier than Vivi," she asked with a smile as she leaned forward to kiss his forehead.

"Yes," Gabe wrapped his arms around her neck to give her a hug, giving her cheek a smooching kiss, "But you're already married to Daddy."

"True," mama laughed softly as he let go, leaning forward to turn on the nightlight next to his bed, "I suppose you'll have to win Vivi over then."

"Why," Gabe's eyebrows lowered into a vee, "I asked her and she said yes."

"Ah, I see," mama leaned her elbow against his mattress, placing her chin on her fist, "Even though she said yes, you still have to win her over. There's lots of time between now and when you're grown up –what if some other boy comes along and does nice things to win her over?"

"That's not gonna happen," Gabe said with a frown as he thought over what mama said before telling her in a self-satisfied tone, "I told her she can't play with other boys."

Gabe knew he was in trouble 'cause mama was giving him _that_ look, "Gabriel Michael Laskaris. You have no right to tell Vivi who she can and cannot play with. Do you understand?"

"But mama –"

"No buts," mama reached out to cup his chin, not letting him look away, "It's wrong to tell someone who they can be friends with."

"But what if she likes another boy," Gabe asked as he reached up to wrap his fingers around her wrist, feeling her heartbeat against his fingertips.

"Then you'll have to find a way to have her like you more," mama leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his forehead before running her fingers through his hair, "The only way to win someone over is to love them completely, with no excuses or conditions. Does that make sense?"

"Some," Gabe lifted his shoulder before slipping his hands under his pillow, laying on his side as his eyes started drooping, "The rest will make sense when I'm older, I guess."

Mama laughed softly as she tucked the sheet up around his shoulders, giving him another kiss, "I guess so too…Daddy will be in to kiss you good-night, okay?"

"Uh-hu."

Several minutes passed after mama had left the room to go tuck Emmie in, Gabe's eyelids getting heavier as he slowly sank into sleep, a warm hand touching his cheek as he heard his Daddy whisper, "Good-night, _kyrio_."

"Daddy?"

"Yes Gabriel."

He forced his eyes open to look at his father, "How did you win mama over?"

Daddy smiled as he kneeled down beside his bed, "I picked her flowers –a whole field of them. Then I made her angry. After that, I bought her some ice cream, kissed her, took her out to dinner and dancing. I told her I loved her, bought her a ring and this house, asked her to marry me and here I am –the luckiest man in the whole world because she's mine."

"That's a lot of stuff," Gabe yawned, rubbing a fist over his eyes as he flopped to his back, "I don't have enough money to buy Vivi a house, Daddy."

Daddy laughed softly as he leaned forward, running his fingers through Gabe's hair, "You can start with the flowers, Gabriel. Make her smile, play with her, be nice to her. Sometimes, when we think we've won, we forget that we can still loose."

Gabe nodded as another yawn escaped him, not really understanding what his Daddy meant but he was too sleepy to ask…he'll just do that tomorrow.

* * *

_The blood was everywhere, bright red and wet, covering his hands, down the front of his shirt, in a puddle around his feet._

_His lungs hurt from holding his breath but he did it because he didn't want to breathe in the smell of it because if he did, his throat will burn and his mouth will water and he will become the monster he hid deep inside himself._

_He fought hard against his need to breathe, closing his fists as his small body shook with the effort, his eyes screwed shut as he tried to picture himself somewhere else._

_But even with his eyes closed, all he could see was the blood –bright red and so beautiful…like silk…red silk slipping through his fingers._

_He knew it would smell so good if he would just breathe in…if he would just touch the wet thickness to his tongue, flavors he'd never tasted before would explode across his tongue…it would completely quench his thirst, satisfy his hunger._

_But he wouldn't do it –he wouldn't because he was strong…he wasn't going to become the monster within…he wasn't going to be what his father had hated the most._

_The burning pain in his lungs was too much as he gasped in air, his eyes flying open wide as the back of his throat felt like it was on fire, the sweet smell of the blood thick in the air as he saw something move out of the corner of his eye._

_Turning his eyes to the left, he felt his chest grow tight, "Please…help me. I don't want to be like this."_

"_But you are like this," Tia Rosa's pretty eyes were sad as she looked at him._

_He choked on his own venom as it pooled in his mouth, his breathing harsh as he watched Seth walk out of the shadows behind Tia Rosa, her sadness disappearing as she smiled up at him, slipping her hand into his as blinding light swallowed them up._

"_No," he whispered, his watering mouth making it hard to scream the way he wanted too, "Please don't leave me."_

_A movement on his other side caught his attention as he turned to look into Vivi's gold-brown eyes, his breath squeezing out of his chest in wheezing pants, "Vivi…Vivi, please. Help me. I'm not a monster."_

"_But you are," Vivi's eyes filled with tears, his heart breaking as one escaped to run down her cheek, "You never really tried to be human…not like me."_

"_Please," he gasped as the intense pain at the back of his throat increased the painful parched feeling as the venom slipped between his razor sharp teeth._

_He watched as Gabriel stepped out of the shadows behind his sister, a smile spreading over her lips as she looked up at him, the blinding light swallowing them up as he took her hand, "No! Please don't leave me alone…please…"_

_His words evaporated into the darkness as the shadows creeped in, slowly swallowing him whole, pushing out the light inside him as he opened his mouth, feeling the silky thickness of blood coat his tongue as his teeth sank into soft flesh._

"NO!"

Marc jerked up in bed, breathing hard as his heart raced, his eyes wild as he looked around his dark bedroom, a soft whine finally catching his attention.

"Einstein," he patted the bed with a shaking hand, "Up."

The blue tick hound hopped up onto the bed from the side where he had been sitting, watching his boy toss and turn for the past half hour.

Marc wrapped his arms around his puppy's neck, sniffing back a sob as Einstein licked his wet face, placing his paw on Marc's small shoulder in a show of comfort as he whined.

Drawing his knees up, he tried to get his heart to slow down, telling himself it had just been a dream but his mind kept replaying it, over and over, hearing the hunter's words echo with every scene.

_You are everything your father hated about himself._

"No," Marc whispered as he stared into Einstein's brown eyes, "My father loved me…he taught me that good always wins…there's good in me…there is."

Einstein snuffled his cheek, licking his ear and neck as he wiggled into Marc's lap.

Lying down on his side, Marc curled around Einstein –the puppy snuffling as he rested his head across Marc's neck –and closed his eyes as he tried to will himself to sleep but minutes passed slowly before he gave up.

Sitting up, he tossed his navy blue comforter aside, slipping out of the bed, Einstein jumping to follow him out of his bedroom, their footsteps nearly silent against the wooden floor as they made their way down to the kitchen, Marc's eyes able to see clearly despite the darkness of the house.

Opening the fridge, he looked at the contents.

He was hungry, his stomach cramping with it, but nothing in there appealed to him.

Giving up at finding anything he could keep down, he closed the fridge, pulling a chair across the floor to set up against the counter, taking down a glass from the open cupboard to fill up with cold water, Einstein sniffing around his feet even though he couldn't smell anything.

"Want a treat, Einstein," Marc asked softly, the puppy sitting back on his haunches, his floppy ears perking up as he cocked his head to the side, his tail wagging exuberantly.

Smiling down at his puppy, Marc set the half empty glass on the counter beside the sink before climbing down from the chair and pushing it to the side to open the cupboard where Tia kept the dog food and treats, pulling out the box of milk bones.

Shaking it, he frowned as he opened the top, reaching in to find it empty –darn it. He'd forgotten to add dog treats to the grocery list and Tia already did the shopping.

Looking over at an expectant Einstein, he scratched between his ears in apology, "Sorry, buddy. We're all out –I'll get you some tomorrow, okay?"

Einstein whined, tilting his head as he watched Marc toss the box into the trashcan beside the refrigerator, his dark brown eyes following his boy as he climbed up the chair to get his glass of water.

Marc slowly sipped the cold water as he looked out of the garden window, his eyes glued to the moon hanging low in the dark night sky.

A soft bark was all the warning he had before the sound of a crash had him spinning around, his glass slipping out of his hand to shatter on the floor.

He watched as Einstein pawed the empty treat box, stuffing his muzzle into the opening, "Way to go, Einstein."

"Marc?"

He looked up as the kitchen light came on, scrunching his eyes for a few seconds before getting used to the brightness as he focused on Seth.

"What happened," Seth took in the broken glass, looking down at Einstein as the puppy sat back, his face displaying doggie innocence despite the trash spilt across the floor.

"I was thirsty," Marc crouched down on the chair, one hand holding on to the edge of the counter, the other the back of the chair, "Einstein wanted a treat but there wasn't any. I threw the box in the trash but I think he wanted to see for himself."

Seth stared at Marc for a few seconds before quietly saying, "Don't get down from the chair, there's glass everywhere and I don't want you to cut yourself."

"But I need to clean up Einstein's mess," Marc sat back on the chair, dangling his feet as he watched Seth go into the utility room, coming out with a broom and dustpan in one hand and a box of milk bones in the other, "Where'd you get those?"

"I threw them into the cart when I went grocery shopping for your aunt yesterday," Seth set the box on the table, a smile tugging at his lips as Einstein reared back on his haunches, his front paws in a begging position as he whined, "You've taught him well."

"If only I could teach him to clean up after himself," Marc muttered under his breath, smiling as Seth chuckled, watching the big man sweep up the glass on the floor, taking one of the hand towels Tia kept on small hooks beside the stove to wipe up the water, "Is it safe now?"

"It should be," Seth tossed the towel into the sink as he set the broom and dustpan aside, "But just to be sure –"

Marc realized why Gabe enjoyed being tossed around by the pack members as Seth picked him up and set him next to Einstein in one fast move, his stomach flipping once before settling.

No words were spoken as Seth helped him pick up the trash, Einstein occasionally sticking his nose into the bits on the floor as they tossed it all back into the can, Seth taking the wet Swifter from the utility room to sweep the entire floor before putting everything back in its place, Einstein happily munching on the milk bone he had taken from Marc's hand.

"Well, then," Seth washed his hands, Marc standing in the chair beside him doing the same, "I guess we should go to bed. Are you still thirsty?"

Marc shook his head, taking the towel Seth gave him to dry his hands as he took a deep breath, "Uncle Seth?"

"Yes Marc."

He stared up at him as seconds turned into minutes, feeling like a stupid baby but "I don't want to sleep alone tonight."

Seth reached out to stroke his hair, cupping the side of his face with his big hand, "Did you have a nightmare?"

Marc nodded, knowing they hadn't heard him scream because his room was soundproof.

"Want to talk about it?"

Marc shook his head, wrapping his arms around Seth's neck as he picked him up, taking the chair in his other hand to return it to the table.

"My mom always told me that saying bad dreams out loud will keep them from happening," Seth snapped his fingers at Einstein, the puppy immediately getting up from the floor, his half chewed milk bone in his mouth as he followed behind Seth, Marc reaching out to flip the light switch off.

"I know my nightmare won't happen," Marc whispered, pushing away the small niggle of doubt trying to worm its way into his heart.

"Do you want to sleep with your aunt and me," Seth moved down the hall, keeping a tight grip on the boy, thinking how much lighter he seemed than Gabe even though he was a bit taller.

"I can't sleep with Tia Rosa," Marc whispered, certain he would see hate and disgust in Seth's eyes but he kept explaining, "It's too hard because she smells so good."

Seth reached out to cup his cheek as he gave him a smile, "Yeah, she does. How about we crash in the office then? I can tell you one of the stories my dad told me when I was your age."

Marc nodded as they walked into the office, the light staying off as Seth stretched out on the couch, Marc settling on his broad chest as Einstein curled up under the coffee table.

Seth placed a hand on Marc's back as he slid his other one behind his head, his breathing even and deep as he began the story, "The first chief of the Quileutes was a great man –brave, strong and wise…but he was missing one thing…a woman that would show him gentleness and love, who would care for him.

"He decided to go to the chief of another tribe, to seek among his many daughters for he'd heard they were all beautiful, sweet and submissive…but when he got there, the chief told him that to marry his favorite daughter, the most beautiful of all his daughters, the Quileute chief would have to win her through tests, fights and competitions."

Marc let out a soft breath as he closed his eyes, Seth's rhythmic words slowly weaving into dreams of glory and honor, of everlasting love.


	7. Chapter 5

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I love you all so much! You have no idea how much your reviews mean to me and how important they are to my thought and writing process! Gaby, you are my lovely lovely friend. Ses -you inspired me to the ends of the world. Music -you make me smile. Chelsea, lette -you remind me why I write.  
**

**Enjoy as you read (it's longer than the last one!) and remember to leave awesome AWESOME reviews!  
**

**Chapter Five**

He had two weeks to finish his design, although if he got it done a week early, a five thousand dollar bonus would be added on to the twenty thousand dollar fee they were already paying him.

His only problem –something was off with the design and he couldn't figure out what.

Seth let out a frustrated sigh as he tossed his graphite pencil into the airplane cup, rubbing the back of his neck for a few seconds before turning off the floor lamp that lit up the draft table.

He was just going to have to pick up where he left off tomorrow –maybe ask Embry to look the design over, see if he could catch the invisible glitch.

For now, he had four hours until Rose's exhibit –he sure hoped she was getting a head start. He loved that woman but she did like taking her time getting ready –although, he never had complaints with the end results.

Walking out of the office, he flipped the light switch off before heading into their bedroom, stopping at the doorway for a few seconds to admire his wife –God, she was his wife!

Rose let out a frustrated sigh as she held up a red strapless dress before her, tilting her head to the side to scrutinize her reflection for a few seconds before holding up a dark green halter top dress.

"I'd go with the green one," Seth said softly, Rose whipping around to smile at him, "You think so?"

"Mh-hm," Seth gave her a nod as he moved into the room, taking the hanger from her as he looked the dress over, "It'll bring out your tan and turn your eyes green."

_Not to mention cover more of what's mine than the red one._

Rose's smile widened as she returned the red dress to the closet, coming out with a pair of strappy silver sandals in one hand and a wide silver belt in the other.

"I thought Alice was sending you a complete outfit," Seth laid the dress over the back of the vanity chair before walking into the closet to pick out a pair of black slacks and a dark green button down shirt, finding his black loafers within seconds since he only had the one pair.

"She is," Rose set the belt over the dress, dropping the shoes on the floor as she headed to the dresser to open her underwear drawer, "For tomorrow night's exhibit opening. Tonight's just for family and friends –we have dinner reservations at The Cotiere Room afterwards."

"For everyone," Seth's eyebrow arched in surprise as Rose sifted through her lingerie.

"Yup."

Tossing his clothes onto the bed, he moved to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her small waist to pull her against him as he whispered into her ear, "The black ones."

Rose giggled as she tilted her head to the side to give him better access to her neck as he nibbled a row of kisses from her ear down to her shoulder, "I have several black ones. Which, specifically, are you suggesting?"

Seth reached in, pulling out French cut black panties made of sheer lace, "These…they have a matching bra, right?"

"Yes," Rose looked up at him with twinkling eyes as the doorbell rang, "But it's a halter top dress so I won't be wearing one."

Seth almost groaned at that as she closed the dresser drawer, stepping around him to head out of the room as the doorbell sounded again, "Oh, I've been meaning to tell you. Minerva and I talked about doing a short Q & A with the press before officially opening the exhibit tomorrow night. I was hoping you would –"

"Hold on," Seth interrupted, tossing the panties towards the bed before following her down the hall, "What press? I thought you didn't allow the press into the exhibits."

"That was before."

"Before what?"

"Before when I needed anonymity to protect the twins," Rose reached the front door as the bell rang a third time, opening it with a smile, "May I help you?"

"Delivery for…" the delivery guy turned the clipboard around to read the invoice, "Mrs. Seth Clearwater."

"That would be me," Rose said with a bright smile as she took the pen and clipboard, signing along the bottom before exchanging it for the box, "Thank you."

"No problem," he gave her a smile as he looked her over, catching Seth's dark glare over her head. Clearing his throat nervously, he gave her a nod, "Have a good day."

"You too," Rose was reading the return address so she didn't notice him rushing down the steps towards his car, "Alice's timing always amazes me."

She closed the door, setting the box on the coffee table as she gave him a smile, "Would you be able to get the twins from Leah while I shower?"

"Yeah," Seth watched her in frustration as she walked past him to head back to their bedroom, "We're not done, Rose."

She turned to look at him in confusion, "Not done with what?"

"Why are you going to have the press at this exhibit," Seth asked as he ran his fingers through his hair in agitation.

She couldn't understand why he seemed upset about this, "Minerva thought what with how different this exhibit is, it would be a perfect time for me to publicly claim my work."

"Why?"

A little crease formed between her eyebrows, "What do you mean why? I don't need to hide anymore –the twins are safe now that the hunter's gone. I can –"

"What about you?"

"Me," Rose's face showed surprise –and a bit of annoyance at being interrupted –as she tried to figure out what it was he was having a problem with, "Why wouldn't I be safe?"

Seth fought the urge to bang his head against a wall –was she really that clueless?

"I'm sure the guy in South Carolina is not the only delusional psycho out there who'd like to get his hands on you."

Rose's face blanched as she sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide as she softly asked, "Who told you about that?"

"Not you, obviously," Seth knew he needed to take a step back and get a grip on himself but he was so damn angry, "Why didn't you discuss this with me before making the decision to let everyone know who and where you are?"

"Minerva –"

Seth's anger exploded, "To hell with Minerva! You're married to me, not her!"

Rose's confusion over the whole thing morphed into anger, her face flushed as she yelled back at him, "This is my career, Seth! It has nothing to do with you!"

"It involves you," Seth's hands were fisted at his sides as he fought the urge to throw something –anything –just to get the damn knot in his chest to loosen up, "So it has everything to do with me!"

Rose opened her mouth but Seth held up his hand to stop her, shaking his head as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Forget it. I can't…I can't –I gotta get out of here."

He was halfway to the door when Rose's choked words stopped him, the tears he heard in them making his heart squeeze painfully.

"You're leaving me?"

"What," Seth spun around, the tears running down her face coupled with the devastation in her hazel eyes almost bringing him down to his knees, "No…baby, no!"

A soft sob escaped her as Seth pulled her into his arms, holding her tight as he dropped kisses to every part of her face he could reach, "Baby, I'm never going to leave you. Please don't cry, sweetheart. I just needed some time to think –God, Rose, I'm sorry. Please, baby, stop crying."

Rose buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms tight around his waist as her shoulders shook, Seth closing his eyes as he tightened his arms around her, fervent words whispered into her hair, "I love you Rosie. I'll never leave you, baby, I promise."

Rose lifted her face, seeking his lips with desperation, her fingers digging into his back with a need for reassurance he was more than willing to give.

Cupping both hands over her ass, he lifted her up, her long legs wrapping around his waist as he moved the few steps necessary to reach the nearest flat surface, which was the kitchen table.

"Please –" a hiccup broke her plea but he knew what she was asking, sliding his hands up her smooth thighs, his splayed fingers rough against her soft skin as he slid them under the black cotton skirt she wore.

Cupping his hand over her mound, he rubbed his fingers hard against her, the wet silk of her panties evidence of her need.

Delving his tongue deeper into her mouth as she fisted a hand in his hair, he shoved aside the crotch of her panties, swallowing her moan as he pushed two fingers into her, the walls of her pussy tightly clenching around them.

"Fuck, Rose," Seth whispered harshly against her swollen lips as he reached between them to undo his jeans, her hips rising off the table with every thrust of his hand, "You're so fucking wet for me, baby."

Rose groaned as Seth moved his mouth down her neck, sucking and biting, leaving behind little kisses to soothe the sting.

Removing his fingers from her wet core, he gripped her panties in his fingers, the delicate fabric easily ripping with a sharp twist of his wrist.

"Seth, _por favor_," Rose sobbed, her entire body tightly strung and poised to fall over the edge.

Grabbing her knees, he pulled her legs wider apart, sliding her forward to the edge of the table as he thrust hard into her, the small scream that escaped her causing a shudder to run down his back as he moved his hands to grip her hips.

"You're so…fucking tight," Seth growled into her ear as he slammed into her, his hands keeping her from moving, "So…fucking hot."

His teeth grazed the soft spot behind her ear, his breath heavy as he pounded into her, "Shit, Rose –you feel so fucking good!"

Rose dug her nails into his shoulders, her back arching as she finally fell, her soul expanding until she couldn't contain it anymore –she splintered into a million pieces, mind, body and soul completely overwhelmed by the pleasure of her release.

Seth swallowed her scream as he covered her mouth with his, their tongues dancing in a frenzy of lust as he slammed into her once –twice –before his own orgasm ripped through him like a tornado.

Struggling to catch his breath, he dropped his head against her shoulder, her arms wrapping tight around his neck as she did the same, both panting as their racing hearts began to slow down.

"I love you," Seth whispered, his breath hot against her skin as he wrapped his arms around her shaking frame, staying buried deep inside her, "Never, ever doubt that –ever."

* * *

Rose let out a shuddering breath as she pressed her hands against her stomach, willing the nervous flutters to go away, her smile tremulous as Seth approached her.

"Why am I so nervous," she whispered as she took the champagne flute he held out to her, taking a sip of the bubbly liquid as she looked around at the people walking about the front of the warehouse-turned-gallery, the darkness behind them hiding the exhibit.

Seth placed his hand between her shoulder blades, his fingers touching soft skin and smooth pearls, "You're going to do fine."

Rose nodded, reaching up to touch the silk choker-style neckline of her black evening dress, the silver bracelet Seth had given her for her nineteenth birthday sliding down her arm as she looked up at him, "I've never spoke in front of so many people before –what if I say something stupid?"

Seth smiled down at her, reaching up to stroke her cheek, "You're going to be amazing. Just let your passion for this exhibit do the talking."

Rose smiled at him, thinking how absolutely F.S. he looked in the black suit he wore, "Thank you for standing with me during the press interview."

Rose didn't say anything to Seth but she was glad Minerva had limited the Q & A to just a select few reporters and that he had stood beside her the entire time.

Seth bowed his head down to whisper into her ear, a soft curl tickling his nose, "I'll always stand with you Rosie –no matter what."

Rose smiled as he pressed a kiss to her cheek, moving closer to him as she took in a breath of his sea salt smell, a calm peace flooding her as someone touched her arm.

"It's time, Rose," Minerva smiled at her as soon as she turned to look at her, platinum blond hair falling in soft waves down her back, "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Rose handed her champagne flute to Seth, reaching into his pocket for the index cards that contained her speech, "How do I look?"

Seth smiled as his eyes traveled slowly down her body, the black silk of her dress clinging to every curve, falling in straight lines to the floor.

Her hair was piled on her head in loose curls, a few framing her heart-shaped face, long pearl earrings on her small ears.

The only other jewelry she wore, aside from the earrings and bracelet, were the rings on her left hand.

Rubbing his thumb between her shoulder blades, he tapped the strand of pearls attached to the neckline that dangled down her back as he leaned in closer to whisper into her ear,"You look amazingly beautiful…and I can't wait to see this dress on the floor."

Rose blushed, tilting her head back to press a soft kiss on his smiling mouth, tugging at his top lip with her teeth before saying in a husky voice, "As long as your suit ends up in the same place."

Seth laughed, squeezing her waist before letting her go, watching with pride as she moved towards a redwood podium –built by Rick and carved by Billy –the people in the room, all there by invitation only, turning their attention towards the makeshift stage.

Standing beside Minerva, she looked over to Seth, his smile giving her the courage she needed as Minerva spoke into the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Minerva's voice was clear, her diction perfect as she smiled out at the expectant faces, "You have all been invited to this special event because you have an interest –a love for art, especially photography. As many of you know, Rose de Lune has always focused on landscapes. The raw emotion displayed in every photograph has captivated so many –it's truly an amazing phenomenon, the way her emotions seem to be displayed by the world around us."

Rose took a deep breath as Minerva looked towards her, a genuinely warm smile on her face, "And now –now she's branched out. This exhibit is the first –of many I hope –to display others' emotions…particularly love."

Stepping aside, Minerva smiled at Rose before moving towards Andy, the pilot wearing a dark gray suit with a black turtleneck underneath.

"Good job," he whispered into her ear as he slid his arm behind her to rest his hand on her hip, turning his attention to Rose as she stepped up to the podium.

Rose looked at Seth one more time, the pride and love she saw in his eyes making her smile as she set her index cards on the podium, turning her smile towards the people before her.

"Whether you believe it's ephemeral, a biological response due to hormones or a meeting of the souls, love is constantly searched for by every one of us."

Stopping to take a deep breath, she looked to Seth, her smile soft as she continued, "Love comes in many forms –the love of a child…the love of a parent…the love of a friend…the love of a lover.

"We find ourselves feeling this glorious emotion…once we've experienced it, we can't help but search for it…even those who have never experienced it at all."

Rose looked at Minerva who looked up towards the cat walk, a soft light blinking on several feet behind Rose, softly illuminating a twenty by thirty frame centered in a soft white wall –a black and white close up of Rick and Leah, First Beach still discernible in the background –the others shrouded in darkness as Rose turned to look forward, "We sacrifice for love…we give…we take…sometimes we even hurt for it…because of it.

"Love unites…but it can also tear apart. It can be soft and it can be violent. It comes in the soft wings of butterflies, in the heat of a fire and the depth of the ocean."

Another soft light lit up, revealing a second twenty by thirty frame hanging from a free standing wall several feet to the side and slightly behind the first wall.

Seth was working hard at swallowing back the knot of tears in his throat, his eyes moving over the second picture –it was their engagement picture, in black and white, the love in their eyes and smiles practically spelled out.

Blinking back the tears, he turned his eyes to Rose to find her staring at him, her own eyes bright before she looked down at the podium, a soft pink flushing her cheeks.

"When we find it…truly find love, it becomes the gravity that holds us in place…it defines us…in love, we find ourselves," Rose took a deep breath as a third spotlight lit up, illuminating a third twenty by thirty frame –of Rachel and Paul, their features softened through a gossamer veil –centered on a wall parallel to the second one, "True love…imprints…our hearts unite…joy, pain, satisfaction, tears, contentment…mutually felt…mutually experienced."

Rose smiled as soft lights, one after another, began illuminating the darkness behind her, "Ladies and gentlemen…behind me, you will see love…and I hope, that in doing so, you will seek the love in your life, nurture it…embrace it…and enjoy it."

The appreciation for her words was exuberantly expressed as she stepped away from the podium, taking Seth's offered hand as people began moving towards the exhibit.

"Beautifully said."

Rose smiled into blue eyes as Seth dropped her hand to place his arm around her, his hand curling over her hip.

"Thank you," Rose looked up at Seth, "This is Philip Gefter. He's a photography critic with The New York Times."

Seth nodded as he held out his hand, "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Seth Clearwater, Rose's husband."

Blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he gave Seth's hand a firm handshake, "No need to claim your stake –my interests are purely artistic. Do you also do photography?"

"I'm a graphics engineer," Seth slid his hand into his pocket, "I do contract work for a company here in Seattle."

"Interesting," he nodded before turning to look at Rose, "Miss de Lune, I truly am intrigued with this exhibit –why the change in subject when you've been doing so well with your landscapes?"

Rose stared at him for a few seconds, looking up at Seth before turning her attention back to Gefter, "I'm not sure how exactly to answer that. I guess…after I met Seth, I started paying more attention to others –I was able to see emotions outside of my own…it intrigued me."

Minerva stood a few feet away, her full lips spread into a smile as she watched Rose carrying on a conversation with Gefter, feeling oddly proud of her.

"You look pleased with yourself."

She turned her attention to Andy, taking the champagne flute he had gone to get her, "Look at her. You would think she's been doing this from the beginning."

Andy slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks as he observed Rose, "You finally got her out into the public eye…Seth doesn't look very happy, though, not that I blame him. That guy seems a little too interested."

"Andrew," Minerva looked up at him with a smile, "That's Philip Gefter. He's one of the top photography critics, writes for The New York Times…and he's gay."

Andy's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Really?"

"Yes," Minerva took a sip of her champagne, "He and his partner got married last year."

"Uh," Andy tilted his head as he studied him for a few seconds before shrugging, "Never would have guessed it."

Minerva chuckled, sliding an arm into his as she looked into his brown eyes, "How about we go and check out the exhibit? I think Rose is doing well on her own so there's no need for me to stand here and babysit."

Andy chuckled as they head towards the back of the gallery, stepping around the middle wall and into a labyrinth, a twenty by thirty photograph centered on each wall.

"The set up is very unique," Andy stopped before a black and white photograph titled _Collin_, studying the face of a young man, sitting on a log, his arms wrapped around a young girl, dense forest trees behind them and a campfire next to them –it was priced at ten thousand dollars.

"All Rose," Minerva was looking around, mentally picking out those who she knew to be avid collectors of photography –specifically Rose's, "My involvement with this exhibit was limited to publicity, pricing and the guest list."

"Don't sell yourself short, babe," Andy gave her a smile, "Rose's confidence comes from knowing she has a top notch art manager."

Minerva's face flushed slightly, her blue eyes expressing everything she held in her heart, "Thank you."

"Just stating a fact," Andy reached up to stroke her cheek, his eyes moving from her face to look over her head, "Guy over there keeps looking this way."

Minerva looked over her shoulder, quickly seeing who Andy was referring too, "That's Mr. Denton. Would it be okay if I left you alone for a few minutes?"

"You go do your thing," he dipped his head to kiss her lips, his breath silky as he spoke against them, "I'll find you."

Minerva stroked his jaw as she said with a smile, "You already did."

He watched her walk away, the royal blue dress she wore causing some very dirty ideas to spring to mind.

That woman drove him crazy. There were times when he kissed her simply to shut her up and then there were times he kissed her because there was no way he could let another second go by without feeling her lips on his.

Seven months –it almost seemed like a lifetime ago when he had escorted her to her hotel room after the meeting with Rose.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched her talking to Mr. Denton, the memory of how it all started coming to him in a rush.

_Minerva's jaw was tight, her arms crossed under her breasts as she kept her eyes on the changing numbers over the elevator doors –two floors to go before they got to hers._

"_Ever thought of getting yourself a man, Minnie," Andy's words came out in a southern drawl as he looked down at her, his shoulder propped up against the elevator wall, "It might help you relax."  
_

"_Don't call me Minnie," she refused to look at him, her breathing coming fast and shallow as the floor light blinked, "And I have no need for a man. They're useless except for one thing."_

"_Oh yeah," Andy straightened as the elevator doors opened, following behind Minerva as she briskly walked down the hallway towards her room, "And what exactly is that?"_

"_Screwing a woman over," Minerva opened her purse, pulling out the key card, her fingers closing into a fist when he took it from her to open the door._

"_You have a low opinion of men."_

"_A learning experience, I assure you," she snatched her card from him before moving into the room, holding the door as she looked up at him, "Thank you for walking me here."_

_Andy's eyebrow arched as he gave her a cocky smile, his words slow and drawn out, "Oh, you'll be thanking me for a whole lot more than that."_

_Before Minerva knew what was happening, he had reached out to wrap her ponytail around his hand before gripping the back of her neck._

_Stepping forward, he pulled her head back, his mouth covering hers in a heated kiss, the tension that had been building between them since they were first introduced by Rose back in New York City snapping, electricity running through both of them as he walked her backward into the room, his mouth staying on hers the entire time._

_The soft click of the hotel door was lost in the charged silence as he slid his free hand around her waist, turning her around to push her up against the door, his fingers tugging at the skirt she wore._

_Breaking the kiss, he moved his mouth down her throat, the sound of her moan heightening his desire as he pushed her up the door, his chest against hers keeping her in place as he shoved her skirt up to her waist, stepping in between her thighs._

_Her legs wrapped around his hips without conscious thought as he undid the fly of his jeans._

_She grabbed fistfuls of his bomber jacket, her breasts heaving as she attempted to catch her breath which just rushed out in a groan as he buried his fingers into her, finding her wet and hot._

"_You want this, Minnie," he whispered hoarsely into her ear, nibbling on her jaw, his teeth occasionally biting her skin, "Tell me you want it."_

_Minerva moaned as she reached up to fist her hand in his shaggy hair, jerking his head back, her teeth nipping his bottom lip hard enough to make it hurt, "I want it."_

_Without much of a hesitation, he pushed into her, his fingers digging into her thighs as her head fell back, moaning at the feeling of being filled._

_A feeling of coming home flooded him as he sank into her, his hands gripping her hips as he tried to reign in his raging libido._

_She needed this one and there was no way in hell he wasn't going to follow through._

_As she unraveled with every thrust, his thumb rubbing small circles around her clit, he had one last thought before his mind completely blanked out, letting his body take over._

_Why was it that of all women to make him feel complete, it had to be the one that drove him batshit fucking crazy?_

* * *

The applause was loud, whistles and cheers deafening as the university president declared the new graduates.

The KeyArena of the Seattle Center was packed with family and friends of the graduating students, about a total of one thousand three hundred, both undergraduate and graduate.

Seth lifted Vivi into his arms to keep her from getting lost in the throng of people, Rose holding on to Marc's small hand as they made their way out of the center, following behind Sam and Emily, the twins in Sam's arms while Emily held Liliandra.

"The others are meeting us by the pavilion," Sam told Seth over his shoulder as they moved along with the crowd -they hadn't all been able to sit in the same section -the distinct sounds of laughter, tears and exclamations of delight all around them.

"Is Collin now a doctor," Brad asked his Daddy as they stepped out into the sun, Bailey burying her face into her father's neck to shut the brightness out.

"No, honey," Emily shifted Lili in her arms, the little girl looking down at Marc, giggling as he made faces up at her, "But now he'll get to go to medical school to become a doctor."

"He had to go to school to go to school again," Brad scrunched up his nose –he wasn't a big fan of school as a second grader, "Yuck."

Sam laughed as they reached the small crowd by the pavilion, "When you want to do something very important like be a doctor, it means lots and lots of school."

Brad scrunched up his nose, "I am not going to be a doctor –I'll build cars like you, Daddy."

Sam's shoulders shook with laughter as they reached their friends, lowering the twins to the ground as Gabriel ran up to them.

"Brad," Gabe stopped in front of his cousins, pointing behind him, "They're huge rocks over there! Let's climb them!"

"Yeah!"

Brad ran off with Gabe, Bailey following behind them as Marc looked up at Rose, "Can I go too?"

Rose nodded as she let go of his hand, "Sure."

Watching him run off to join his cousins, she turned to smile at a slightly frazzled Leah, "Would you like me to take him for a while?"

"Yes, please," Leah handed Alyx over to Rose, knowing that a new face –especially a pretty face –would distract him while she took Andrey from Rachel and searched for a quiet place to feed him.

"Think we can get those shelves at the center done by the end of the week," Sam asked Rick, catching his baby girl as she threw herself his way from her mother's arms.

Rick nodded, adjusting a sleeping Zaky in his arms, "Yeah, there's only a few more left," he searched the crowd for Embry –he had gone to find Collin to let him know where they all were and had taken his daughter with him -before turning back to Sam, "My car's been making this strange knocking sound for the past three days."

"I'll come by the house and take a look at it tomorrow morning."

"Thanks."

Seth watched as the two Alphas talked, their conversation easy and friendly, leaning down to whisper into Rose's ear, "Hard to think those two hated each other, uh?"

Rose looked up at him, Alyx reaching up to touch her nose, his little hands exploring the contours of her face, "What do you think is responsible for the change?"

Seth shrugged as Jared and Kim approached them, Vivi wiggling to be put down as soon as she saw Nika, "None of us have quite figured it out."

Rose opened her mouth to say something but instead let out a squeal of surprise, Alyx having shoved his little hand into the vee of her dress.

Seth laughed, taking the baby away from his wife, holding him up to look into his twinkling blue eyes, "Your hand doesn't belong there, little man. Those are mine."

Rose smacked his arm, laughing as she adjusted the bra strap the baby had managed to pull off her shoulder as her eyes caught sight of a familiar face, "Julie."

"Hi," her smile looked uncertain as she stopped several feet away from them, her mother standing beside her, "I…wasn't expecting everyone to be here."

"Well…it's an important milestone in our friends' lives," Rose hated how awkward the whole thing was feeling, noticing how Julie hadn't looked once towards Seth, "Lyn didn't mention you were coming down."

"She doesn't know," Julie shrugged as she crossed her arms over her stomach, the black wrap-around dress she wore showing off long lines and subtle curves –Rose was certain she had lost weight since she last saw her in New York City, "I thought it would be fun to surprise her. You haven't met my mom, have you Rose?"

"Your mom," Rose turned to look at the small woman beside Julie, feeling awe as she looked over the delicate features of her oval face, blue-black hair falling straight down her back, her skin a beautiful cinnamon color that looked as lustrous as a pearl, "I'm sorry, it's just…you don't look old enough to have two grown daughters."

Her smile was instantaneous, purple eyes dancing with pleasure, "Thank you for the compliment. Believe me, at times, I feel older than what I am."

Rose shook her head, already envisioning beautiful photographs of this petite woman by the beach –it wasn't hard to believe her to be a mermaid, "I'm certain that pertains to every mother. I've gotten to know Lyn very well the past two years –I count her as one of my closest friends, as well as Julie."

"It's good to know my girls are good friends to you," she smiled at Rose before turning to look at Seth, "How are you, Seth?"

"Doing well," Seth nodded as he bounced Alyx in an attempt to distract the little boy but he wouldn't look away from the pair of purple eyed women standing a few feet away, "How about you? Lyn mentioned you decided to go back to school."

"Yes," she nodded, chuckling as she watched the blue eyed baby stretch out his arms towards her, his chubby hands closing and opening in the universal baby sign for 'hold me,' "I'm doing a fast track program at the nursing school here in SU. Can I hold him?"

"Good idea," Seth handed his nephew to Julie's mother, Alyx immediately reaching up to touch his little fingers to her smiling mouth, "Otherwise, he'll throw himself at you –that boy has no shame when it comes to pretty girls."

She chuckled, scrunching up her nose at him, his giggles sweet as he reached out to grasp her nose with his little fingers, "He's very friendly."

"Friendly? The boy's a flirt," Seth laughed as Alyx turned to look up at Julie, stretching his chubby arm to touch her face, "At least he's got good taste so can't hold it against him."

Julie's tight smile relaxed as Alyx held up his arms to her, chuckling as she took him from her mother, "A little flirt, uh? You'll probably break hearts too."

Seth was sure that was aimed at him but he didn't say anything, the guilt that was starting to crowd in on him dissipating as Rose slipped her hand into his and gave it a squeeze, "So how's life in New York City?"

Julie looked up from smiling into Alyx's blue eyes, her purple eyes showing wariness as she answered, "Fast paced…keeps me busy. I actually have an interview on Leno's show in July."

"That's awesome," Seth hated how distant she was being with him but he had no one to blame but himself, "I read you're doing your first world tour this year."

"Yeah," she nodded, shifting her weight as she moved Alyx to rest on her hip, "I'm heading to London in September…I should be back in March."

She looked away from him, smiling at Alyx as he tugged at the mermaid pendant around her neck, letting Seth know without words that she was done being polite to him.

They awkwardly stood there for a few seconds, the chatter and laughter of the crowd around them filling in the silence before a high pitched voice filled with excitement caught their attention.

"JULIE!"

She looked up, grinning as Gabriel ran towards her, turning to hand Alyx to her mother to free up her arms so she could catch the six year old as he threw himself at her, "Gabe!"

"I missed you," Gabe wrapped his arms tightly around her neck as she hugged him, her laughter sounding happy as he pulled back and kissed her nose.

"I've missed you too," Julie smiled into his blue eyes for a few seconds before kissing the tip of his nose in return, "And thank you for the kitty kisses. I've needed some."

"Are you here forever," Gabe asked, not looking away from her purple eyes as the rest of his cousins joined them.

"No," Julie reached up to touch his cheek, "I'm just visiting for a couple of days before I go back to New York."

"Aw," Gabe frowned in obvious displeasure, "That sucks."

Julie chuckled, her lips spreading into a grin before she looked down at the other kids, her eyes connecting with a pair of gold-brown eyes that stared up at her with curiosity and a touch of hostility, "Are these your friends?"

"No," Gabe looked down at them, wiggling for Julie to put him down, "These are my cousins. Vivi and Marc are my cousins since a while ago because Uncle Seth married their Tia Rosa. But Vivi isn't my cousin-cousin like Bailey so I'll be able to marry her when we grow up."

Marc's eyebrows lowered over his dark brown eyes as he glared at Gabe, "No, you won't."

"Wanna bet?"

"Okay, okay," Seth stepped between them, able to see in Marc's tense body that he was about to snap, "You two need to break this up before everyone thinks we're raising little heathens."

Rose laughed, motioning for Marc to come to her, "Please go find Leah and let her know Alyx is starting to get hungry."

Marc looked over at the pretty girl holding Alyx, trying not to laugh at the way the little boy was pulling at the neckline of her teal colored dress, "Okay."

Giving Gabe one last warning glare, he took off, Vivi watching him go before turning her attention back to Julie, smiling shyly as she asked, "Are you really a mermaid?"

She smiled, able to sense her mother's surprised look but not acknowledging it as she crouched down to look into the little redhead's gold-brown eyes, "What do you think?"

"Gabe says you are," Vivi's eyes moved down to the small swaying pendant, reaching out with a finger to touch it, "He says he saw your tail."

"Yes, he did," Julie smiled at her, thinking her to be the cutest little girl ever but that was only because she had yet to meet Gabe's little sister, "He's a special little boy so I wanted to give him a special surprise."

"I'm special too –Uncle Seth says so," Vivi looked up at Seth, smiling when he nodded in agreement before looking into Julie's purple eyes, "Can I see your tail?"

Julie smiled, reaching out to tap a long finger against her button nose, "You are a special little girl but I won't be here when the next half-moon's in the night sky."

"Oh," Vivi's acute disappointment burdened that one word, her face falling for a few seconds before Julie leaned in to whisper into her ear, "Ask Lyn –I'll tell her to show you her tail, okay?"

Vivi nodded excitedly, "Okay!"

"I found the graduates," Embry's loud voice got everyone to turn, the guy easily visible, not only because of his height but due to having Emmie riding on his shoulders, the little girl laughing as she tugged at Embry's hair –Collin and Lyn following behind him.

"Firecracker," Lyn exclaimed in joyful surprise, letting go of Collin's hand to run to her sister, hugging her tight as she closed her eyes, losing the fight against her tears, "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, Lyn," Julie whispered into her little sister's ear, her arms wrapped tight around her smaller frame, "I'm so proud of you."

Everyone watched the reunion between the sisters, Collin waving his parents over from where they stood with Sam and Emily before turning to look at Lyn's mother, "There's going to be a party down at the reservation tonight. I hope you and Julie will come."

She smiled as Leah approached the group, handing her Alyx who was starting to gear up for a huge 'I'm hungry, feed me now' tantrum, "Thanks Collin. Julie wants to take Lyn out to lunch…would that be okay? We'll come to the party afterwards."

"That's fine," Collin laughed as his mother pulled him into a hug at the same time that his little sister wrapped her arms around his waist, "I think my parents would like some family time too."

Lyn pulled away from Julie, wiping her face with the back of her hands as she turned to hug Collin's parents, getting a tight hug from his sister before she slipped her hand into his, smiling up at him, "I'll see you later tonight."

"Alright," Collin leaned his head down to kiss her lips, whispering softly, "I miss you already."

Seth and Embry both coughed back a laugh, understanding where he was coming from but still thinking it sappy of their friend to say it out loud in front of everyone.

Rose looked over at Julie, her heart clenching in empathetic pain at the emotions displayed in her purple eyes as she observed Lyn and Collin.

The pain, the doubt, the jealous envy –it was all there along with a slightly frightening glimpse of hopelessness…as if she were giving up ever finding what everyone else seemed to have.

Rose hoped something happened for Julie before it was too late.


	8. Chapter 6

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Ses, I know you said shorter chapters but I can't help it! I can't stop until _they_ tell me they're done. I love your reviews as they are, though! Never have I thought of them being a messy, babbling mess...I think they're wonderful just as you write them.  
**

**Gaby -I know you're sans computer at the moment but I also know you'll be catching up as soon as you are back on business and I'll be waiting with baited breath!  
**

**Gianna, lette, Chelsea, Lyn (where are you? I miss you in this story!) -thank you all for your lovely reviews. I look forward to reading more!  
**

**Oh, the lyrics at the end of this song were written by me, inspired by July Star. I hope to someday find someone that can put music to them...and yes, they've been copyrighted!  
**

**Chapter Six  
**_Second Week of May_

It was the last day of school and while everyone else was excited to start their summer vacation, Marc wasn't feeling as happy.

"When are you leaving," he asked as he took the offered cookie –it was shaped like a rhinoceros.

She shrugged, pushing her round glasses up a small nose as she picked out a monkey cookie –those were her favorite, "Daddy says this weekend but mommy wants to wait until Monday."

Marc nodded as he finished his cookie, watching the other kids as they ran around the playground –there were only ten minutes left of recess.

He hated that Betty had to leave but he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

She was his only friend in the second grade, not because he didn't get along with the other kids but because he could actually talk to her.

She was smart and understood some of the things he said –he believed it had to do with being an only child to parents that were older than most –they were also university teachers.

"I'll come back," Betty smiled at him, her brown eyes –they always made him think of sunflowers –bright as she leaned closer, her blond hair sliding over her small shoulders, "I promise."

He didn't believe her –after all she was just a kid and her daddy was getting a big promotion at his new job in Florida but he nodded anyway, "Okay."

They sat side by side on a bench; they were silently eating the animal cookies she always shared with him every recess since the beginning of second grade.

Kicking his feet, he watched as two boys teased a girl that was on the swings, three girls a few feet away from them jumping a rope as they chanted one of their silly rhymes –the one about kissing a frog so it could turn into a prince.

"Want to play tag," she asked quietly, curling her fingers around the edge of the bench seat as she leaned forward and crossed her ankles.

He looked at her for a few seconds before nodding, "Sure."

A big smile spreading across her pretty face as she tapped his arm, jumping off the bench they were sitting on, yelling over her shoulder as she ran off, "You're it!"

Marc tilted his head to the side, watching as she weaved around the other kids, her long blond hair streaming behind her like a banner.

Hopping off the bench, he brushed the cookie crumbs off his blue polo shirt and jeans, checking his shoelaces to make sure they were tied.

"Come on, Marc!" She stopped at the other side of the swings, wrapping an arm around one of the poles, "Bet you can't catch me!"

A small smile spread across his face –he supposed a challenge like that was a good enough reason to let himself be a child and play –at least for what was left of recess.

He took off after her, enjoying the sound of her laughter as she dodged the other kids, looking over her shoulder to see that he was getting closer.

He tagged her on the shoulder by the monkey bars, the cocky smile on his face losing a bit of its edge when she said, "Now I'm it. Run and I'll catch you."

Yeah…just what he needed to end the school year, being chased around the playground by a girl.

* * *

_First Week of July_

"Here comes the third round," Rachel walked into the living room with a tray full of strawberry daiquiris, weaving slightly as she handed them out.

"Mine's a virgin, right," Kimmy asked as she took the glass, shifting on the couch to try to get more comfortable but it wasn't easy when she was seven months pregnant and perpetually uncomfortable.

"I've been giving you virgin drinks all night, Kim," Rachel set the tray on the desk, swaying slightly –the second batch had been just a bit stronger than usual, "That's why your glass has a black straw in it –black for nuns –nuns are virgins. Get it?"

Kim nodded as she took a sip of her drink, her brown eyes twinkling when she asked, tongue in cheek, "So the red straw in your glasses means what? Sluts?"

They all laughed, Leah shaking her head as Rose buried her flushed face in her hands.

Rachel waved a hand in the air as she held out her glass, "Okay, okay. We're all here for two things."

"Only two," Daisy arched an eyebrow as she looked up at Rachel from where she was sitting on the floor.

"That I know of but please, feel free to add anything else," Rachel placed a hand on her chest as she looked at Rose, "First off, happy early birthday to Rose. One more week before you turn twenty-two years old. Let's all sing hap –"

"No," the others exclaimed, Leah picking up her glass from the coffee table to take a big swallow of the frothy beverage before looking at Rachel, "We are not singing so just move on."

"Fine, fine," Rachel gestured her glass towards the armchair opposite of Leah, "Congratulations to Lyn, for getting into the University of Washington School of Medicine –I hear you were one of thirty two who made it in."

"Thank you," Lyn raised her glass before taking a sip, her brain already soaked in alcohol from the previous two, "Collin got accepted too. We're going apartment hunting next weekend."

"Oh, apartment hunting together," Rachel set her glass on the coffee table before dropping to the floor, leaning back on her hands as she grinned at Lyn, "Does that mean he finally put out?"

"Which campus are you going to," Daisy's question was asked simultaneously as Rachel's, all of them laughing at the frustrated sigh escaping Lyn.

"Tacoma," she answered Daisy's question first before looking over at Rachel, "And no, he hasn't. I'm about ready to do something drastic."

"Did you suck him," Rachel asked in a serious voice, a smile finally breaking across her face as Lyn's face flushed, "By the look on your face, I'm gonna say yes. He didn't cave?"

"No," Lyn shook her head, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, "Either I did it wrong or he's got a stronger will than I thought."

"You can do it wrong," Rose asked without thinking, her face flushing when they all turned to look at her.

"Not wrong, per say," Daisy yawned as she laid back onto one of the sofa pillows, her long blond hair spilling onto the floor, "Just not good."

"How do you make it good?"

Leah grimaced as she shook her head, "Please, let's not –"

Rachel interrupted her, giving Rose a questioning look, "Have you not asked Seth?"

Rose sucked on her bottom lip as she shook her head, "I'm…I'm too embarrassed to ask him."

"Ah, darling, he's your husband," Emily capped the nail polish bottle, setting it on the coffee table where she sat before turning to sit next to Kimmy on the couch, having just finished painting her toenails a bright pink, "You should never be embarrassed to ask those kind of things."

"Never the less," Rachel pushed herself to her feet, reaching out to steady herself against the entertainment center, "Since we're on the subject, it's only fair we give you some instruction."

"Oh, God, no," a look of horror washed over Leah's face as Rachel walked into her kitchen, returning with a banana, "Please, let's not do this!"

Rose's face was bright red but her curiosity was much stronger than her embarrassment, "I'm allergic to bananas…and that's too small."

Leah screamed, the other girls laughing as Rachel went back into the kitchen, returning to the living room with a cucumber in one hand and a carrot in the other, "Which one's closer to size?"

"Oh, God, please don't say it," Leah buried her face into the pillow, her words muffled, "Just point to it, Rose. I don't want to know!"

Emily buried her face into her hands as Rose –her face resembling a ripe tomato at that point –pointed at the cucumber, biting her lip when Daisy and Lyn exclaimed in unison, "Yikes!"

Kim laughed as Rachel motioned for Rose to stand up, pointing at a spot on the wooden floor, "Get on your knees."

Rose stood up a little too fast, the alcohol in her system almost having her tip over but the coffee table offered her something stable to hold on to for a few minutes before she carefully straightened up.

Leah curled up in the arm chair, her face still buried in the cushion so Rose moved around the table to where Rachel was pointing, briefly wondering if Leah was even breathing.

"Okay," Rachel moved to stand before Rose once she was in position, "The key is to breathe through your nose…you need to relax your throat and your jaw."

"What about the teeth," Rose glanced at the cucumber, thinking there was no way she could get _that_ inside her mouth without gagging on it.

"You wrap your lips over your teeth," Rachel held up the cucumber, Leah's muffled screams into the cushion making it possible for her not to audibly hear what was being said, "That'll come instinctively. For now, let's get you used to having this in your mouth –I'll tell you later how to suck and what to do with your tongue."

"Somebody kill me now," Leah screamed, Emily laughing as she kept her face in her hands, doing her best to concentrate on her cousin's screams instead of Rachel's words.

"Okay. Tilt your head back and open your mouth."

As Rose did what she was told, her dark hair rippled down her back as the front door opened, Seth walking in with Paul, Collin and Brandon a couple of feet behind them.

Rachel froze, slowly turning her head to look at Seth as he narrowed his eyes, looking from her to Rose then back, "What's…going on?"

Paul's mouth was hanging wide open before it slowly spread into a wide grin as he looked at his wife, "That is so hot."

Collin and Brandon didn't say anything, simply nodded, their mouths still open in surprise as Rose bit her lip, looking everywhere else but at Seth.

"I was…uhm," Rachel took a step away from where Rose was kneeling, looking down at the vegetables she was holding before looking up at Seth, "I was giving Rose a cucumber and carrot salad recipe."

"Does she have to be on her knees to do this recipe," Seth asked as he walked across the living room, taking Rose's arm to help her up unto her feet.

"No," Rachel took a deep breath as she tried to think, "It's just…that's where she was when I…when she asked for the recipe."

"Right," Seth looked down at his wife's flushed face, catching the slightly glassy look to her beautiful eyes, "How many drinks have you had?"

Rose's blush deepened as she softly answered, "I lost count after two."

"Yeah, we're going home," Seth easily lifted her up off the floor, a small squeak escaping her as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes shut tight to keep from getting nauseous at the way the room spun, "Leah, get your face out of the pillow. And you," he glared at Rachel before heading towards the door, "Stay away from my wife!"

Seth walked out of the house, laughter erupting behind him but he didn't stop –he needed to get his drunken wife home before she got into any more trouble.

Apparently, leaving her alone with the other girls was not a good idea –how dare they corrupt her innocence!

Rose sighed, kissing the side of his neck as she ran her fingers through his hair, her lips moving up his jaw in little nibbling kisses, "I love the way you smell," she whispered into his ear, her breath causing a shiver to run down his back as he turned the corner, still a couple of streets away from their house, "Especially when you've been in the woods."

"Baby, I'm all sweaty," Seth chuckled as she slid her hand down his chest, her fingernails scraping against the skin and causing his body to leap into attention.

"Sweaty…good," Rose gently bit the tendon that connected his neck to the shoulder, before stretching her neck to tug at his earlobe with her teeth, "It's all animal testosterone…so sexy."

"We've still got a ways to go before getting home, Rose," Seth's voice was slightly choked as she moved her hand down the back of his neck.

"So," Rose touched his earlobe with the tip of her tongue, letting out a surprised squeal as he dropped her legs, burying his hand into her hair to claim her lips, his tongue delving into her honeyed mouth, tongues stroking and tasting, their breath coming fast.

Rose let out a soft hum as he broke off the kiss, his easy smile belying the inferno that was raging through him, "That should hold you over until we get home. Now behave –I don't want to give the neighbors a free show."

Rose giggled as he easily swept her up into his arms again, laying her head on his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Reaching their house, he bounded up the steps, opening the front door –which was hardly ever locked –the hallway lights on as Rose whispered into his ear, "The twins are staying over at your mom's."

Seth smiled, closing the door behind them before heading down the hall towards their bedroom, "Are they now?"

"Mh-hm," Rose nodded, her hair rippling over his arm, feeling like soft silk against his hot skin. Laying her width-wise in the middle of the bed, he stretched out next to her.

She snuggled into him, placing her head on his shoulder as she reached up to run a finger over his jaw line, "We can have some fun."

Seth chuckled, running his fingers through her long hair as he kissed her nose, "Baby, unlike Paul, I don't like my wife drunk during sex."

Rose pouted, looking up at his face through her eyelashes, "I'm not drunk."

Seth laughed at that, "You were on your knees with Rachel about to shove a cucumber down your throat!"

Rose's face flushed as she buried it into his chest, his arms wrapping around her to hold her close as he buried his nose into her hair, the heady scent of cherry blossoms pushing his desire higher as he felt her whisper against his hot skin, "Seth."

"Uhm," he kissed her temple, his fingers slowly massaging her scalp, unaware of the goosebumps that were popping up all over Rose's body.

"Will you…will you teach me? How to please you?"

Seth's lips spread into a wide smile. He knew where she was going with this but he didn't say anything –teasing his wife was one of his joys, after all, "You already please me, Rose."

"No," Rose's voice had a bit of a whine to it as she traced her name on his bicep with the tip of her finger, "I mean with…with my mouth."

Seth's smile turned into a grin as he brushed her hair off her cheek, "What do you want to do with your mouth, Rosie?"

"I want to…to…you know."

"I'm not sure I know," Seth's chuckles turned into a groan as she pinched his nipple, her eyes wide when she looked up at him to whisper, "I want to suck you."

"Fuck, baby," Seth tipped her head back, his lips moving over hers, their tongues seeking the warm wetness of each other's mouths, his hand moving down to the small of her back, swallowing her moan as he pulled her into him, his erection pressed hard against her stomach.

Breaking the kiss, he took a deep breath, Rose's face flushed as she worked at catching her own breath.

Nipping her bottom lip with his teeth, he whispered with a smile as he rested his forehead against hers, "That's something I'll teach you when you're sober and less likely to hurt your favorite part of my anatomy."

"I'm sober now," Rose exclaimed, her eyes showing excitement, making him groan under his breath.

Letting out a laugh he rolled onto his back, "Alright then. Get out of bed without falling over."

"Fine."

Rose sat up, staying still for a few seconds before scooting out of bed, the floor moving on her as soon as she stood up.

Seth laughed as she crumbled to the floor, sitting up to look down at her, "You okay?"

"No, I'm not okay," Rose frowned up at him, "You tricked me –and I think I hit my head."

Getting up, he kneeled next to her, carefully feeling her head for bumps before picking her up.

"Where are we going," Rose asked as she placed her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes in hope of making the dizziness go away.

"A hot bath might help you feel better," Seth set her on the floor, holding her arms as she sank down to her knees, "I'll just set you here in case you need to throw up, okay?"

"Okay."

He shook his head, chuckling under his breath as he turned on the faucets to fill up the tub, pouring some of the bath oil she liked to use into the hot water.

"Seth."

"Yeah, baby."

A bit of silence before she asked, "Why am I staring into the toilet?"

Seth laughed as he turned off the faucets, the deep tub half-full.

Turning around, he looked down at her, smiling at the confused look on her face, "Guess you don't need to throw up, uh?"

"No," Rose shook her head, her hair rippling down her back before she looked up at him, "Leah doesn't let me have more than two drinks –she says I'm a lightweight."

"You are a lightweight," Seth helped her up to her feet, laughing as she leaned in with a conspiratorial grin, "Collin says drunk girls always put out."

Laughing, he undid the buttons of her shirt as he dipped his head to whisper against her lips, "You know who else puts out?"

Rose's eyes opened wide in honest curiosity as she asked in a breathy voice, "Who?"

"Wives," Seth chuckled at the surprised smile blooming across her face as he removed her blouse, tossing it aside before reaching for the button of her tight jeans.

Rose reached up to undo the front of her demi-bra, the tip of her tongue poking out in concentration as she struggled with the snap, finally getting it to pop open.

Shrugging the straps off her shoulders, she looked up at Seth as a question popped into her head, "Do husbands put out?"

"Oh, yeah," Seth tugged her jeans over her hips and round bottom, crouching down to slide them down her long legs, "All the time –you don't even have to get us drunk."

Rose giggled as she tried to step out of her jeans, almost falling over, Seth catching her before she hit the wall, "The floor won't stop moving."

"Now you know how it feels when I have you naked in my arms," Seth's voice was husky as he held her while she kicked out of her pants, his eyebrows lowering at the sight of her bare feet, "Rose –where are your shoes?"

She stared up at him, teeth tugging at her bottom lip as she tried to remember, her face brightening as she let out a giggle, "Tucked under the couch!"

Seth shook his head with a chuckle –he never would have guessed a drunken Rose to turn out to be funny as hell, "Rachel's couch, I assume?"

"Where else," Rose shrugged, her hair sliding over her shoulders, covering her breasts, his cock growing painfully hard as he watched her puckered nipples play hide-n-seek between the dark tresses.

"Take your panties off, Rosie."

Rose gasped, her entire body tingling the way it always did when he got that bossy tone to his voice, "What about your panties?"

He laughed at the wide-eyed look she was giving him, pupils swallowing up the color of her irises, "I don't have any panties on."

"Oh," Rose looked down at the royal blue panties she wore, studying the three little black bows that made their way down her left hip, thinking how pretty they were –she liked pretty underwear…come to think of it, so did Seth.

Trying to stifle her giggles, she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her underwear, bending over to slide them down her long legs until they puddle at her ankles.

Straightening up, she threw her arms up in the air, exclaiming with a proud smile, "Neither do I!"

Seth laughed, reaching out to grasp her waist, keeping her from tipping back, her hands gripping his biceps, fingertips tracing the muscles as he smiled at her, "Time to get into the tub."

Keeping a hand around her waist to steady her, he held one of her hands, helping her step into the tub, his breath stopping as he watched her slowly sink into the bubbles, her hazel eyes luminous as she looked up at him with a smile full of seductive secrets, "Will you join me?"

"Of course," he kept his eyes on hers as he undid the fly of his cut-off jeans, a groan welling up in his chest as he watched her watch him, the tip of her pink tongue poking out to touch her bottom lip as he dropped his shorts, boxers following soon after.

Rose moved to the middle of the tub as he stepped in, climbing into his lap as soon as he sat down, her hands sliding over his shoulders as she dropped little kisses on his face, her words silky against his hot skin, "Does the room move when I touch you?"

Seth slid his hands up her bottom and over her slick back as she moved her thighs over his until she was straddling him, "The entire universe tilts."

Rose kissed her way down his throat, her giggles turning into a moan as he covered her breasts with his big hands, rubbing her hard nipples with the pads of his thumbs, "The universe is already at a tilt, Seth."

"You turn it upside down, then," a groan punctuated the end of his statement as she flicked her tongue over his nipple, his thumbs and forefingers tugging at hers, alternating between gentle and hard.

Rose arched her back, dragging her fingernails down his arms as she grinded down onto him, the underside of his hard cock rubbing against her clit with every tilt of her pelvis.

"You're so fucking sexy, Rose," he whispered hoarsely, watching her rub herself against him, feeling like he was going to explode at any minute.

"I want you…" Rose groaned as she looked down at him with heavy lidded eyes, the burning desire in them reflecting his, "So bad."

"Then ride me, baby," Seth slid his hands down the sides of her body, fingers spanning her small waist as he dipped his thumbs into her bellybutton, "Ride me hard and fast, just like I taught you."

Rose lifted herself up, reaching into the water to grasp his cock in her small hand, her tight fingers around the base making him groan as she slowly sank down onto him, her hot pussy –so wet and tight –pulling him in until he was buried to the hilt.

Gripping the edges of the tub, she lifted herself up then sank back down, setting a fast paced rhythm that had them both breathing fast as he explored her body with his hands, eyes never leaving her face, watching her chase her release.

Rose let out a moan, her body tens as she moved faster, her words coming out in a groan, "Seth…_hay…oh! Hay vengo!"_

She slammed down into him as he thrust up, exploding deep inside her as her inner muscles clamped around him, somehow prolonging his orgasm as he dug his fingers into her hips.

Throwing his head back, he let out a guttural groan, everything turning upside down then right side up before he started breathing again.

Collapsing into his arms, she let out a soft breath as he wrapped his arms around her, their bodies and souls connected in that intimate way it takes to mold two people into one.

Rose started giggling after a few seconds of silence, turning her head to rest her forehead against the side of his neck.

"What's so funny," Seth whispered as he stroked her back, his other hand cupping the back of her head.

"Everything's upside down for me too."

* * *

_Second Week of July_

Lian had never been shy about physically expressing his anger, so saying he was surprised at the stunt his manager had pulled on him was mild, considering Jerry knew he wouldn't hesitate to punch him in the face for this.

Shifting in his seat as she sat down in the armchair next to his, Leno grinned at them both as soon as the applause died down –smirky bastard.

"You two haven't officially met, have you," Leno tapped the papers he was holding on his desk before setting them aside, "Astounding considering the press involving you both."

"We've never met before," July smiled at Leno as she crossed those long legs of hers, tugging the cotton fabric of her red sundress –who the hell wore a sundress to a televised interview –around her thighs.

That little move of hers had him glancing sideways at her toned legs, shifting in his seat before looking over at Leno, his lips lifting into a smirk, "There was never an official introduction, although I know more than plenty about her."

"I'm right here," she turned to look at him, leaning back to rest her elbow against the arm of her chair, her red-brown curls tumbling over her arm as she angled her body to face him, "What is your problem? I can't think of anything I've done that could possibly give you a reason to be such an ass."

"It's not what you've done," Lian turned his smirk her way, looking into those sad purple eyes that seemed to be everywhere he went, "It's who you've done."

Her full lips –lush thanks to whatever lip gloss she was wearing –fell open in surprise, which didn't really help his current situation, "Excuse me?'

There was a tens edge to Leno's laugh as he jumped into the conversation, "July –I'm told you've postponed the release of your newest CD."

Lian kept his eyes on hers, seconds ticking by before she looked away to smile at Leno, "Yes, I have."

"Why?"

"I recently wrote a song –about a month or so ago –and the producer fell in love with it. She suggested halting the release of this CD so we can add it –we'll be changing the title of the CD as well."

"You'll be singing the song for us tonight, right," Leno asked as he glanced down at the papers on his desk before looking back at her.

"Of course."

All three smiled as the applause swelled, Leno glancing at his list of questions as soon as the cheers died down, "I heard you're both represented by the same label. How did that happen?"

"Miss Star seems to know the right kind of people," Lian answered, a hint of derision in his voice, "always a good thing when trying to make it big in this business –of course, tight jeans never hurt."

She turned to look at him, anger flashing in her eyes –he much preferred seeing that instead of the ever present sadness –but before she could say anything, Leno cut in.

"You write all your songs, right July?"

She took a deep breath, looking away from him to smile at Leno –it made him angry, not because she decided to ignore him but because of that maddening hint of pain in the corners of her smile, "Yes, I do. It's something I've been doing for a long time. I enjoy it immensely."

"It's something you and Lian have in common," Leno turned to look at Lian, "Although it's been a while since you've released a song of your own, hasn't it?"

Lian shifted in his seat, lifting his booted foot to rest his ankle against his jean clad thigh, "Yes, it has, but no worries. I'm working on a few songs right now –one of them I wrote for my cousin and his wife for their wedding day. We'll be releasing the CD later this year."

"In time for the Grammys, uh?"

He nodded his head, linking his fingers over his hard stomach, "That's what we're hoping…wouldn't want to make it too easy for Miss Star."

She gave him a tight smile, "I always enjoy the competition."

"Wonder what else you enjoy," he muttered under his breath, the microphone on his shirt collar not picking it up but he knew she heard him, her jaw tightening in response to the innuendo behind his words.

"July, you got your first Grammy –Best New Artist –after you released your first CD. Do you think you've got a shot for another one –maybe Record of the Year?"

"I can only hope," she uncrossed her legs, the fabric of her dress shifting with the movement –could that damn skirt be any shorter? It actually had him wondering what color her panties were –Leno nodded as he turned to look at Lian, "If I remember correctly, Lian, you got a Grammy after releasing your first CD as well, right?"

"Two of them," Lian said nonchalantly, doing his best to ignore her as she moved again but it was almost impossible, "Song of the Year along with Best New Artist."

"Right," Leno turned to smile at her, "Tell me, did you know who Lian was before you became the up and coming music star of the day?"

"I always enjoyed his music," she kept her eyes on Leno as she continued, "The band he plays with is very talented…can't deny the fact that he's a talented musician and songwriter but it never occurred to me he could also be a talented jackass."

The audience laughed, Leno letting out a nervous chuckle as Lian looked at her, arching an eyebrow as he drawled, "Takes practice, darling –being accommodating doesn't come as easy to me as it does to you."

Her face flushed as she stared at him, "What?"

"Don't play coy," Lian turned to face her, knowing he should stop but he couldn't –his anger at her may be irrational, yes, but it was still there and he had yet to figure out how to deal with it so he lashed out at her, his razor sharp words meant to cut deep, "Obviously, opening yourself up to heartbreak comes easy to you, not to mention spreading your –"

The microphone picked up the slap as her hand connected with his face, the audience gasping simultaneously as it echoed throughout the study, the shock on Leno's face revealing he had not been expecting it to go that far.

A tick at the side of Lian's jaw was the only outward sign of anger he showed as he softly asked, eyes never leaving hers, "Feel better?"

Face pale, lips tight, she took a deep breath, her throat too tight to be able to say anything so she nodded once.

Standing up, he stood before her, placing his hands on the arms of her chair as he slowly leaned forward until he was merely inches away from her face, "Good. Next time you hit me…I'll make it worth the effort."

Without waiting for her response, he moved away, walking off the set to turn the corner to the back of the stage, not looking at the audience once.

Finding an isolated corner near a viewing monitor, he leaned against the wall, closing his eyes as he rubbed his jaw, the faint metallic taste of blood making him realize she had hit him hard enough to cut the inside of his lip against his teeth.

He had been out of line –had deserve the slap to the face, no doubt.

The sound of the show coming from the monitor became background noise as he thought back to the first time he had heard her sing –goddammit, but her voice had floored him!

Listening to the CD Seth had sent, he had to constantly remind himself she was off limits –not only was she his cousin's girl but he had never liked playing second fiddle to Seth.

The rule had always been: first come, first serve –no leftovers.

Established from the moment they had discovered girls –and found out they both liked the same kind of girls.

The first time he had laid eyes on July Star –he had gone to her first concert to see if the image fit the voice. From that moment on, he had hated Seth in a way he'd never had before.

From his front row view, he could see his cousin all over her –the sadness in her eyes, the tears in her smile and the heartbreak in her songs…

And it royally pissed him off.

The loud applause from the viewing monitor broke into his dark thoughts.

Opening his eyes, he focused on the screen, watching her move towards the stage where the band was set up, people cheering and applauding when she took the microphone from its' stand, the guitarist strumming a series of chords as background to her low, smooth voice, "I wrote this song a few months ago. It's titled 'The Truth Is' and it was inspired by…"

Her voice drifted off as she lowered her eyes, staring at a spot on the floor for a few seconds.

In that moment, he could see it –he could see she was hurting and it had nothing to do with him and what had happened out there a few minutes ago.

Sometimes he wondered what it would take to wipe Seth out of her memory –rip him out of her heart.

"It was inspired," she stated without giving further explanation as the rest of the band members joined the guitarist.

The moment he heard the first few words, he knew exactly when she wrote the song and why.

_A friend told me/Just the other day  
You got on one knee/Popped the question/She said yes  
That's why I'm calling/So happy for you  
Wish you the best/Hope she's everything you're looking for  
Couldn't be happier/With the way things are  
You with your girl/And me on my own_

_And if you see the lie in my smile  
Don't let it get you down  
The truth is/I die a little inside  
Every time I think of you  
The truth is/I haven't forgotten/The way it ended  
Much less the way it began  
The truth is/Pushing you away/Was a big mistake  
Now I wish/I had asked you to stay_

_Finding out this way/Your dreams coming true  
It wasn't easy/I won't lie  
But I smiled anyway  
Prayed it would all be good for you  
Started looking for that wedding gift  
All the while thinking/Hoping  
It would soon be me_

_And if you see the lie in my smile  
Don't let it get you down  
The truth is/I die a little inside  
Every time I think of you  
The truth is/I haven't forgotten/The way it ended  
Much less the way it began  
The truth is/Pushing you away/Was a big mistake  
Now I wish/I had asked you to stay_

_So happy for you/Really I am  
Now give me a hug/Go to your bride  
Let her know/How lucky you are  
Live your dreams/Love like crazy  
And if you ever think of me  
Send a prayer my way_

_And if you see the lie in my smile  
Don't let it get you down  
The truth is/I die a little inside  
Every time I think of you  
The truth is/I haven't forgotten/The way it ended  
Much less the way it began  
The truth is/Pushing you away/Was a big mistake  
Now I wish/I had asked you to stay_

Turning away from the monitor, he headed towards the dressing room that was temporarily his, his gut twisting in hot rage.

He knew he shouldn't hold it against her –a person couldn't help who the heart chose to love.

But he sure as hell could blame her for resurrecting old feelings he had long given up on.

_And if you see the lie in my smile  
Don't let it get you down  
Don't let it get you down_


	9. Chapter 7

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: This chapter is special to me...I had to go diving into a privacy locked bin when I accidentally tossed it in there with other private documents requiring shredding. I have a huge bruise in the back of my right hand where I spent ten minutes dragging paper out of the sides of the lidded can but I got the chapter back so I hope y'all enjoy it immensely because this one caused me more than just mental anguish.  
**

**Gaby -love you!  
Brazilian96 -Thank you for the idea...let me tell you, it's already in the brainstorming process so you'll see that in the future.  
Ses -where are you darling? Two chapters needing your wonderful reviews!  
Chelsea, Lette, Gianna, and Guest...I love you and your reviews and look forward to more of them!  
**

**Chapter Seven  
**_Last Week of July_

"Did you get her to fall asleep?"

"She passed out halfway through the second story," Rick answered in a low voice as he climbed into his side of the bed.

Leah let out a sigh as he pulled her into his arms, settling her head on his shoulder as she whispered, "Remember our first no moon night?"

Rick smiled as he slid his fingers through her hair, his lips brushing against her forehead, "Back when it was just you and me and the music."

She giggled softly as her fingers moved over the contours of his chest, "Simpler times, right?"

Chuckling, he wrapped his arms around her, her smooth legs rubbing against his as he slid a heavy thigh between hers, "Too bad Sue and Charlie's anniversary is tonight."

Her laugh was low and breathy as she moved her arms over his shoulders, fingers sliding into his hair, "We can't have mom looking after them every no moon night, Rick. There's too many of them."

"Yeah, who's idea was that," Rick teased as he kissed his way down the side of her neck, his teeth softly scraping against the soft spot behind her ear, "Maybe they can take them every other month…we can ask Seth and Rose to alternate."

Leah smiled against his neck as he tugged at the hem of her sleeping shirt –actually, it was the shirt he had worn earlier that day –moving her hands down his smooth back as he shifted over her, his hands moving up her soft stomach, "There's an idea."

His hands moved slowly over her body, the calluses rough against her soft skin as she tilted her pelvis against him, needing to relieve the pressure gathering between her thighs, "Rick…"

A soft hum let her know he was listening, her breath hitching as one of his hands covered her breast, the nipple hard against the center of his palm, "I've been thinking –"

Rick groaned as he rolled off her, throwing an arm up to cover his eyes, "Leah, I know what you're going to ask and the answer's no."

She pushed herself up to lean over him, the ends of her hair brushing against her jaw, "The twins are seven months old –"

"Exactly," he moved his arm to look up at her, able to see the color of her brown-green eyes despite the darkness in the room, "They're just seven months old. We already have five. I'm fine with five –I'm happy with five."

"It's just that…" she placed a hand on his chest, her fingers spreading over his beating heart, "I miss having a baby."

"You have two of them," Rick's voice was low but Leah could still hear the frustration in his words.

"But they're already starting to crawl," she said with a sigh as she lowered herself onto his chest, stacking her hands under her chin, eyes never leaving his face, "Please."

Rick usually caved in when she did that but not this time.

This time he was going to stand his ground.

"No."

Her bottom lip poked out in a pout but she didn't argue with him, something he very much appreciated as he slid his hand up her back, his fingers closing over the nape of her neck.

A soft moan escaped her as his mouth covered hers, her hands moving over his chest as he rolled her over, sucking on her bottom lip before breaking the kiss to move his mouth down to her collarbone, teeth scraping against skin.

Leah arched her back, her hands sliding over his shoulders and down his sides until she reached the waistband of his pajama bottoms.

Moving over her, he settled himself between her opened thighs, his mouth moving up her neck as his hand travelled up the back of her thigh, hooking his fingers into the waistband of her boy-cut panties.

Looking into the hot blue color of his eyes, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, a smile tugging at her lips, "Rick –"

"I'm not changing my mind, Leah _mou._"

"It's not that –"

"Please don't tell me you aren't in the mood," Rick groaned against her shoulder, his fingers gripping her hip to keep her from moving, "It's been too long, baby."

"Oh, no, I'm in the mood. It's just…" she tried to keep from laughing as she looked away from one pair of blue eyes and into the other, "We have an audience."

Rick closed his eyes, his forehead on her shoulder as he shook his head before looking up, unable to keep himself from smiling at the sight of one of his boys standing in the crib, his little hands holding tight to the railing as he grinned back, showing off his two bottom teeth.

"What lousy timing," Rick whispered as he rolled off his wife, propping himself up on his elbow as he looked down at Leah, "Is he hungry?"

"No," Leah shook her head as she tossed the bed-sheet aside, "He just wants to cuddle."

"That, I can do," Rick dropped a kiss on her lips before climbing over her.

Pulling up his low riding pajama pants, he watched Andrey bounce his knees in excitement as he approached the crib he shared with his brother, "Hey there, _agoraki_. Cutting me off like that can't happen again, buddy."

Andrey giggled as Rick lifted him up into his arms, little legs kicking as Rick sat on the rocking chair catty corner to the crib.

Snuggling into her pillow, Leah pulled up the bed-sheet as Rick looked over at her with an arched eyebrow, "Don't you dare fall asleep, _moro mou_. You and I have unfinished business."

"Oh, don't you worry," she said softly with a chuckle as she watched Rick and Andrey on the rocking chair, loving the sight of her baby snuggled into his father's side as he kicked his legs, giggling every time Rick tickled his little bare feet, "You can wake me up if I fall asleep."

"Mhm," Rick grinned before looking down at Andrey to find his son looking up at him with a big smile, "Your mama wants another baby. What do you think?"

Andrey cooed, arching his back as he stretched his arms up towards Rick's face.

Bowing his head, he nibbled on the tiny fingers as he kept the chair rocking at a steady rhythm.

Letting out a giggle, Andrey rubbed his small face against his father's bare chest, his little mouth opening in a yawn as he pushed against Rick's thigh with his small feet.

"You want up, uh," Rick lifted him up against his chest, silky dark hair brushing his jaw as his baby boy placed his head on his shoulder, a small fist making its way into his mouth as he closed his baby blue eyes, his other little arm hugging Rick's neck.

"Is he telling you what he thinks," Leah teased her husband, looking over the crib where Alyx still slept soundly –although the most demanding of the two when awake, Alyx was the one that slept through the night most of the time.

"He says he'll be your baby all your life so there's no need for more."

Rick smiled at Leah's soft laugh, keeping a hand on Andrey's small back, the other supporting his diapered bottom as he kept the chair moving.

"Wouldn't he like a little brother or sister?"

Rick's shoulders shook slightly with suppressed laughter as he slowly rubbed his thumb between the small shoulder blades, moving his hand to tug the tiny blue shirt he wore to cover his round tummy, "He says he already has a little brother."

Leah muffled her laughter into her pillow, watching as the rocking slowed down, which could only mean Andrey had finally fallen back to sleep, "What about Alyx? Don't you think he'd like to be an older brother?"

"Well, now, that's something you'll have to ask him," Rick stood up in one smooth motion, slowly placing Andrey back into the crib, tucking his blankie around his little legs before reaching to softly stroke Alyx's sleeping face, smiling when he let out a sleepy sigh, a fleeting smile spreading across his round little face, "I'm pretty sure Alyx likes being the baby."

Turning away from the crib, he joined Leah on their bed again, pulling her back into his arms as he whispered into her ear, "Now, where were we?"

Letting out a soft sigh, she wrapped her arms around him, sliding her leg over his, "Right here."

"Ah, yes," Rick reached down to cup her bottom and pull her hips into his, "I remember now."

Tugging at her bottom lip with his teeth, he angled his head, the kiss growing hot as his tongue moved over hers, the taste and feel of her so achingly familiar yet electrifying –he was never going to get enough of her.

Sliding her fingers into his hair, she moaned as he moved his hands into her underwear to cup her bare bottom, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"_Zeus_, how I've missed you," Rick whispered against her swollen lips, ducking his head to kiss her throat as she tilted her pelvis to rub up against him.

Moving his hand over her hip, his fingers brushed her lower abdomen, a soft noise by the foot of the bed catching his attention.

Looking over his shoulder, he held back a groan, "You're supposed to be asleep, _agapimeni_."

Emmie pulled her teddy bear up into her arms, her fine baby hair a dark cloud surrounding her cherub face as she stared at her father with those big blue eyes of hers, "_Thelo na koimitho mazi sou kai _i mama._" ***I want to sleep with you and mama***

"What about your big girl bed," Rick asked as he moved off of Leah, sitting up to look down at his little girl, "Don't you like it?"

She nodded, sticking a finger into her mouth for a few seconds before holding up her teddy bear, her voice soft as she explained, "Mou-bear _fovatai epeidi to krevati einai poly megali._" ***Mou-Bear is scared because the bed's too big***

Rick knew his three year old well enough not to attempt to change her mind –her stubbornness was a Clearwater trait, after all, "_Entaxei tote. Aneva edo,_" he patted the mattress with a smile. ***Alright then. Come on up here.***

A big smile spread across her face as she ran up to the side of the bed, kicking her small feet as he lifted her up and set her in the middle.

Emmie crawled up to kiss Rick's mouth before doing the same to Leah, scrambling under the covers and carefully tucking her teddy bear beside her, smiling up at her parents, "_Kalinychta_." ***Good night***

Leah smiled as she kissed the top of her daughter's head, breathing in the sweet smell of the baby shampoo she used on all of her children.

Moving her head to rest on Rick's shoulder, she looked into his eyes, a soft smile on her lips as he moved to rest his forehead against hers as he softly whispered, "Fine. We'll have another baby."

Leah's lips spread into a surprised smile, "What changed your mind?"

"Seems to be the only way we'll get to have sex."

Leah laughed, not just at his words but at th frustration in them, leaning forward to kiss his mouth.

"Mama," Emmie reached up, a small hand pushing Leah back, "_Eisai stin koryfi tis _Mou-bear!" ***You're on top of Mou-bear***

Leah rolled back, watching as Emmie re-adjusted her teddy bear, giving its head a pat before snuggling into Rick's side again.

"We need to teach her English," Leah whispered, letting out a soft sigh of contentment as Rick ran his fingers through her hair, the slow steady strokes relaxing her.

"She already knows English," Rick looked down at his baby girl, reaching up to stroke his thumb over her round cheek, "_Dexia, nerankoula_?" ***Right, buttercup?***

Emmie nodded, looking up at Rick with a smile, "Mou-bear _thelei na tou pei mia istoria._" ***Mou-bear wants you to tell him a story***

"Does he know," Rick turned his head to kiss Leah's forehead before looking down at his daughter, "_Edo kai poly kairo, ypirche mia prinkipissa –"_ ***There was once a princess -***

"You're telling it in Greek," Leah asked as a yawn escaped her, moving her head from his shoulder to his chest.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Rick smiled against the top of her head, "Emmie knows English. Mou-bear doesn't."

* * *

A belated beach party had been planned by the guys to celebrate Rose's twenty-second birthday.

Although Seth knew about the party, he had no clue Collin had come up with the idea, all with the ulterior motive to pull a little imprint-prank on him.

Rose was helping him out with that, sweet girl that she was…the thing, though, was that she had no idea.

Either way, Collin was sure it was going to be enjoyable to watch Seth squirm for a bit –and if he got in trouble with Rose, even better.

Music was blaring out of the speakers of Collin's truck as Paul got the grill started, Lyn pulling out one of the two surf boards they had loaded up in the back as Collin took the cooler towards the campfire where everyone else was congregating.

"Did you bring your board," Seth asked as he methodically waxed his board, Zaky watching wide-eyed from a foot away while the other kids ran after each other by the surf.

"Of course," Collin set the cooler by one of the logs, nudging Dougie with his foot as the younger boy shoved a cooked hot dog into his mouth, "Learn to chew, kid. You're going to choke, eating like that."

"Lyn knows CPR," Dougie said through a full mouth, Collin's ability to understand coming from experience as he scoffed, "I'm not letting my girlfriend's mouth come anywhere near yours."

Brady laughed as he speared another hot dog, reaching out to pull Ian back –the little boy was too close to the blue-green flames.

"Nice board," Lyn lowered hers down to rest on its side against a log, rolling her shoulders once she straightened up, "You haven't used it in a while, uh?"

"Yeah," Seth dipped the rag into the wax can, watching with a smile as Zaky moved closer, "It's been in the shed for the past three years. I had it covered, though, so no damage which is good 'cause it used to be dad's."

"Ah, I see," Lyn pulled off her t-shirt, tossing it over the cooler as she removed her shorts, wearing a dark blue one piece razor back bathing suit, "This one's Julie's. She left it behind so I went ahead and borrowed it."

"You don't have your own," Seth reached out to tickle Zak's round tummy, laughing as the little boy shook his head, twisting away with a giggle.

The little boy looked so adorable in bright green swim shorts that reached to the middle of his shins.

"Nah," Lyn sat down at the end of the log, looking over her shoulder to see Collin return from getting his own board out of the back of his truck, "I prefer swimming to surfing."

"How exactly does that work," Dougie looked up from helping Nika and Vivi spear marshmallows, "What with you being a mermaid and all? Won't you, like, grow a tail when you hit the water?"

Lyn laughed, Vivi's face brightening as she looked over at her, "Not anymore, thanks to Collin. I can now change at will."

Vivi moved around Brady, a stick with three marshmallows in one hand as she looked up at Lyn with excitement, "Can I see your tail, Lyn? Can I? Please?"

"Well," Lyn reached over to smooth a hand over the ruffles of Vivi's pink and purple bathing suit, "There are too many people here right now so how about Seth brings you here tomorrow at midnight? Would that be okay?"

"Uh-hu," she nodded enthusiastically, bouncing on the ball of her feet as she stared at Lyn with something akin to hero-worship.

"Ready to go," Collin asked, holding on to his long-board as Seth tossed the waxed rag into a tackle box where he kept all he needed for the care of his board.

Lyn gave Vivi a kiss on the forehead before standing up, easily picking up the flower printed board to follow after the boys.

Heading towards the crashing waves, they didn't notice little Zaky following behind them, his little knees coming up to his tummy as he toddled as fast as he could after his uncle.

"Of course we'll look after them," Rose set the beach bag she had brought with her at the edge of the blanket where Leah sat with the twins, both babies sitting between her bent legs, their backs against her thighs as they faced each other, "It's just one night a month and you two need your time together."

Leah grinned up at Rose, "You'll only have to do it every other month. Mom's agreed it would be easier to –"

"Will you stop explaining," Rose got down on her knees, grinning as Alyx tipped himself sideways to crawl towards her, Andrey watching his brother as he sucked on his thumb, "I understand the need for alone time with your husband. I have two kids in the house, too, you know?"

"Two kids that are able to understand what privacy means," Leah stretched out her legs, leaning back on her hands as she tilted her head back, closing her eyes in enjoyment of the sun's rays, "Mine don't even let me pee alone. Even Gabriel, at the great age of six, thinks a closed door means he should barge in without knocking."

Rose laughed, lifting up Alyx over her head, his little hands waving towards her face as he grinned down at her, a new tooth poking out of his pink gums, "Is that true, Alyx?"

He giggled, catching her bottom lip with his little fingers and giving it a yank, a startled look crossing his chubby face at her surprised yelp before he started to cry.

"I'm sorry, baby," Rose cuddled him into her arms, his head on her shoulder as tears welled up at the corners of his blue eyes, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Leah turned towards the beach at the sound of a familiar squeal, grinning as she watched Rick chase Emmie, her little girl laughing as her Daddy caught her and tossed her up into the air, catching her in his arms in a tight hug as he blew a raspberry into her neck.

Looking towards Seth, she sat up in alarm, "What are you doing?"

Seth looked over at his sister, the waves crashing around his knees as he held on to his surfboard with one hand, the other one holding on to his nephew, "Teaching Zaky how to surf."

"Are you insane," Leah pushed herself to her feet, lifting Andrey up into her arms before she marched towards the surf, "He's one!"

"I was one when Dad taught me how to surf," Seth was trying his hardest not to roll his eyes –ever since Gabe's broken arm, Leah was downright anal about what she allowed him to do with his niece and nephews, "Will you relax? I won't let him go."

"Seth –"

"Look at him," Seth interrupted her as he looked down at his nephew, Zaky sporting a wide grin as he pushed himself to his feet, keeping his knees bent, his little hand holding tight to his uncle's fingers, "He's having fun…and he's a natural. I didn't tell him to keep his knees bent."

"If he gets hurt –"

"I know, I know. You'll hurt me," Seth laughed as Zaky took a shaky step forward, the little boy laughing as he waved at his mama, "Look! Look!"

"I'm looking, baby. You're doing great," Leah blew him a kiss, Zaky laughing as he bounced on the balls of his feet, Leah's heart jumping to her throat as he tipped forward but Seth caught him before he hit the board, "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to take Rose away."

"What," Seth looked up at his sister in surprise, "Why would you do that?"

"You said it yourself," Leah pointed at him, Andrey slipping his thumb out of his mouth to do the same, except he had a big grin on his chubby face whereas Leah's was set in a stern look, "Gotta hit where it hurts."

Seth laughed as Leah walked away, turning his full attention back to his nephew –he liked having his wife around so there was no way he was going to let Zak get hurt.

The music went from one song to another as food got passed around, Collin and Lyn coming out of the ocean after a few hours of surfing, Seth still with Zaky.

The little boy was tireless as he kept working on getting from his knees to a standing position then back, the board softly bobbing with the waves thanks to Seth's steady hold.

Rose was ready to get some rays so she pulled off her t-shirt and jean shorts, tossing them into her beach bag.

A sharp whistle followed with a couple of more wolf whistles had her blushing as she adjusted the bottom of her suit –it had been rather complicated to put on so she wanted to make sure everything necessary was covered.

"Woo-ee, girl," Collin shook his head as he studied the two piece hot pink suit, small straps in a lattice pattern over her flat stomach connecting the top and bottom, "That one's even better than the black one. Ouch! What the hell, Lyn?"

"I do not appreciate you ogling her," Lyn said in a loud voice, having agreed to help him get Seth back for laughing at Collin's stuck up in a tree predicament way back when, even though she found that story secretly hilarious.

"Hell, Lyn, you can't hold it against me," Collin motioned towards Rose, her blush getting deeper as Brady and Dougie let out simultaneous whistles, "Look at her."

"That is a very cute suit," Lyn said as she watched out of the corner of her eyes, chuckling at the look of shock on Seth's face as he caught sight of his wife.

He lifted Zaky up into his arms, easily holding the board under one arm as he made his way out of the water.

Setting Zaky down on the pebbled ground as he leaned his board against a log, Seth grabbed his t-shirt from where he had left it before heading towards the blanket where Rose was, a dark scowl on his face as he noticed some guys a few feet away from their party checking out _his_ wife.

Rose was about to sit down when Seth's shadow fell over the blanket, her smile slowly ebbing away when she saw the look on his face, his words low and tight, "What are you wearing?"

Rose looked down at herself, not understanding what the problem was –she had worn smaller suits when they had been in Spain, "A bathing suit."

Didn't she understand that the straps on that thing she called a bathing suit got a guy thinking about all sorts of kinky stuff they would like to do to her?

He thrust his t-shirt at her, his jaw tight as he ordered, "Put it on."

Rose stared up at him in surprise, not believing he thought he could get away with his Neanderthal behavior.

Without saying a word, she took his t-shirt, finding the neck without looking as she dug her fingernail into the seam then ripped it down the middle, Seth's face registering surprise at her move, "What the hell? That was my favorite shirt, Rose!"

"Next time you act like an idiot about what I'm wearing," she tossed him the torn t-shirt with a smirk on her face as she laid down on the blanket, Zaky collapsing tiredly into his mother's arms, "Don't give me your favorite shirt now go away –I don't want to look at or talk to you for the next two hours."

Seth stood there for a few minutes, holding his t-shirt in one hand as he tried to think of something to say, finally snapping out of it when Leah looked up at him from her position next to Rose, the twins asleep on their tummies between the two women, "Will you please move? You're blocking the sun."

* * *

Embry was feeling proud of himself as he stared at the small house before him, hands on his hips and mind reeling with ideas and plans for his newest acquisition.

Granted, the bank technically owned the house but he was paying them for it so there was no doubt –the little seaside house was his to do with as he pleased.

"You finally closed on the house, uh?"

He looked over his shoulder as Leah walked up the drive, pushing a tandem stroller, "Final papers signed at ten thirty six this morning. What do you think?"

"Uhm," Leah could see the house was in need of some TLC, which she knew Embry had used as his driving point to offer a lower deal than the asking price, "I guess it has some charm."

Embry nodded as he looked down at the twins, both of them staring up at him as they alternated in kicking out their legs, making the small bells on the shoelaces of their converse sneakers jingle, "Where's my Princess?"

"Mom took her to the salon," Leah leaned onto the sturdy stroller as Embry turned his attention back to the house, "They're having _Giagia _and Emmie time."

"_Giagia_," Embry cocked an eyebrow as he slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"It's Greek for grandmother," Leah let out a soft sigh as she looked over at Embry, "I worry she's never going to speak English."

Embry lowered an eyebrow, "She speaks English to me."

"She does?"

"Yes," Embry nodded with a smile, running his fingers through his hair as he looked over at Leah, "She's got an adorable accent –similar to Rick's –but she does speak really good English –and in full sentences."

"Uh," Leah gnawed on her bottom lip as she thought over Embry's words, finally deciding it wasn't that big of a deal for her to worry over, "So what are you planning on doing with the house?"

"I'm going to gut it," Embry's smile grew bigger, obvious excitement showing in his dark brown eyes as he continued explaining, "Tear down all the walls except for the weight baring ones. There's a living room and a family room so I'll be enlarging the kitchen, adding a third bedroom and a second bathroom."

"What do you know about this kind of stuff?"

Embry chuckled as he looked over at her, "I work with a construction company up in Seattle."

"You do?"

"Yeah," Embry laughed at the look of surprise on Leah's face as he crossed his arms over his chest, "You didn't think I used tuition money to buy Emmie's sticker books, did you?"

"I didn't think of it," Leah felt a little embarrassed about that –as his female-Alpha, she should really be paying more attention to what was going on in his life.

Hell, Rick probably knew that as well as his hourly wage, academic standing and extracurricular involvement on campus –he was just that kind of Alpha.

"You have five kids, Leah," Embry grinned at her as Alyx leaned over to swat at his brother's foot, which he had up in his hands, little fingers tugging at the bell in the laces, "There's no need for you to keep tabs on me. I'm a big boy –I can take care of myself…and if not, my own mama's got it covered."

Leah laughed, giving him a backhanded slap on the arm, "Thanks for reminding me. I have a big favor to ask you and I don't want you to think about the why."

"Shoot."

"There's a full moon next week –Thursday. Would you…be able to come down and look after the boys?"

Embry shrugged as his thoughts went no further than her request, "Sounds like fun. Professor Kata cancelled his class for Friday morning so it's not a problem –I can sleep in."

Leah gave him a big smile, "Thanks Em. I really appreciate it."

"No biggie," Embry turned to walk with her down the graveled drive, watching in amusement as Andrey bend forward to tug at one of Alyx's bells, "What's with the bells?"

"Let's me know when they fall asleep," Leah let out a tired sigh as she made her way down the sidewalk, the little bells jingling a merry song so she knew she still had a ways to walk before they fell asleep, "What are you up to for today?"

"Seth's working on a new design," Embry slipped his fingers into the pockets of his slacks, "He hit a snag so he wants me to help him out with the math."

"I'm heading that way too," Leah grinned up at him as they turned the corner to head down the street, the Clearwater's house a few blocks away, "Rose promised me a cherry pie so I'm going to collect."

Embry laughed at that, "What secret of Seth's did you have to tell in exchange for that?"

"You know about that? Does Seth?"

"Rose told me –a snicker blast pie gets Seth's secrets out of me. And no, Seth doesn't know."

Leah laughed with him, shaking her head as they approached the driveway, a black Audi parked in the driveway -it was the replacement for the destroyed Bentley, bought soon after Rose's therapist gave her the okay to drive –the Mustang parked by the curbside.

"So, I've got a favor to ask you," Embry stopped at the back door, turning to look at Leah as he knocked on the door.

"Okay."

"Do you think I could take Emmie up to Seattle with me next Saturday? The Seward Park and Audubon Center has this really cool thing on Saturdays called Tales and Trails for Little Tykes. It's just a mile walk in the forest where kids learn about nature. There's also an Insectival at the Environmental Science Center in the afternoon. I think she'll really enjoy herself."

"You noticed, uh," Leah grimaced as she opened the door as Rose called out for them to come in, the lack of bell music letting her know her babies were finally asleep, "I thought it strange the first time I saw her pick up a Daddy long legs –totally freaked me out but she just asked for a jar and spend an hour studying it."

"She's gonna be a scientist," Embry grinned with pride, laughing at the sight of a flour covered Vivi, the little girl standing on a chair as she rolled out a pie crust, Rose filling a pie tin with gooey cherries.

"Well, think it's a great idea," Leah tilted her head to the side as Embry stopped at the archway, giving him a big smile, "But you'll have to turn in a request to Rick."

"Crap."

* * *

_Thursday, Full Moon_

He watched with mild amusement as his four puppies –differing from each other due to the varying shade of fur and size –climbed all over their mother, all four recognizing her as such despite her absence on the full moon nights.

Tilting his head as he stretched out on his stomach, he let his tongue hang out in a doggie grin as she shook them off her, nipping the ears of one, tipping another over with her paw as she nuzzled the soft underbelly of a third before letting out a sharp bark that had them all scramble into a line, oldest to youngest, tails wagging as she moved down the line.

She nudged their smaller muzzles with hers in a show of affection before they all turned to follow the grey spotted wolf he considered his Beta.

It was so good to see her again, to be able to breathe in the scent that always made him think of home.

Stretching, he let out a yawn, ending it with a yip that had her turn to look at him, the intelligence in her brown-green eyes tugging at something in him that he didn't understand but always embraced.

She stayed seated on her haunches but couldn't seem to keep her tail from wagging and he knew she was just as happy to be with him as he was to have her here.

Tilting his head to the side, he let out a soft bark, watching as her ears perked up as she rose to all four feet before skipping over to where he was.

He could see that she was in a playful mood –could smell that she wanted more than just games –but he wasn't in a hurry.

The moon was still high in the sky and for him that meant he had forever to enjoy her company.

So first –a little play time.

He turned his eyes away from her, watching as the river flowed by lazily, not turning at the sound of her bark.

He watched covertly as she lowered her chest to the ground, her wagging tail high up in the air as she let out a series of yips but he didn't turn to her, simply, letting out a yawn before resting his head on his front paws.

A huff then a few seconds of silence that had him wondering what she was doing before he felt a tug on one of his ears, a paw planted on his head for leverage as she tugged gently a few times before giving his head a good hard yank as her paw slipped down his muzzle.

Shaking her off, he stood up, reaching up with his front paw to pull her down, lowering his head to nudge her soft underbelly as soon as she rolled onto her back.

His canines scraped gently against the soft skin in a gentle bite before he lifted his head and turned away, taking his time as he made his way further into the woods.

He could hear her following behind him, her prancing amusing him as she occasionally lifted a paw to swipe at his side, nipping his back legs in her attempts to catch his attention.

Funny thing was she had all his attention centered on her.

A hard nip to his left haunch had him turning around with a low growl, her whimpers soft as she lowered herself to the ground.

Feeling bad at making her show her submission, he moved closer, nuzzling the side of her face, his blood growing hotter at the delicious smell rolling off her in waves.

Closing his jaw over the back of her neck, he covered her body with his.

Play time was over for them –time to remind her who she belonged too.

_Morning After_

Rick let out a groan as he stretched, his sore muscles soaking up the heat of Leah's body next to his.

Letting out a yawn, he moved to his side, wrapping an arm around her as he spooned her body into his, soft curves molding against lean muscles as she let out a soft groan, "Good morning, _agape mou_."

"Good morning," words came out in a yawn as she stretched, skin rubbing against skin, making Rick's morning situation a whole lot more interesting, his lips nibbling her ear as he asked, "How did it go last night?"

"Mhm," Leah let out a giggle as she turned her head to look into his eyes, "You played hard to get."

"Did I, now," his smile spread into a grin as he kissed her lips before gently biting down on the bottom one, his words hot against her mouth, "I can't just let you have your way without getting some of my own back, now, can I?"

Leah's throaty laugh had him grow completely hard as she drew up her knees which just had her ass move right into him, "You make it sound like it wasn't good for you."

"Mhm," Rick moved his mouth down the side of her neck, the taste and smell of her driving him crazy as he slid his hand down her soft stomach, the other hand covering her left breast, "I'll remember how good it was tomorrow morning but for now…"

Leah moaned as he touched her, his hands and mouth slowly setting her on fire, pushing her higher and higher until she thought she couldn't hold on to herself anymore just to have him send her flying into their own personal universe as he moved into her, their soft groans and moans harmonizing with the early morning sounds of the forest as they chased paradise together.


	10. Chapter 8

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: New chapter! Sorry it took me so long, it's been hectic with work and stuff but as an apology that really counts, I'm uploading chapter nine right after this and letting y'all know chapter ten is done and chapter eleven is started...I'm on a roll!  
**

**Gaby -I love you! Can't wait to read your awesome awesome reviews!  
**

**Ses -you'll owe me three reviews after this...are you on vacation? Can't wait to get my postcards!  
**

**Lette, Chelsea, Gianna -looking forward to reading reviews from y'all too!  
**

**This chapter is completely dedicated to Embry and Emerie...enjoy as you read and REVIEW!  
**

**Chapter Eight  
**_Saturday in August –Emmie's Day with Mou_

Bright blue eyes stared into dark brown ones, the intensity increasing with each passing second.

Narrowing his eyes, he scrunched up his nose, his upper lip curling in imitation of a horse, causing her to erupt into giggles despite the obvious struggle at holding them in.

"I win," Embry raised his arms up in the air in victory, Emmie scrambling up to stand on her chair, her small hands planted on the table to lean forward as she shook her head, "No fair! You can't make faces to win!"

"There's nothing in the rules about making faces," Embry leaned back, crossing his arms as he grinned across the table, "There're only two rules –no laughing and no looking away."

"I want a new rule," Emmie stomped her foot on the seat she was standing on, scrambling to sit on her bottom when mama looked over at her, "No funny faces."

"You need to put in an official request to the staring committee," Embry lifted a shoulder as Emmie frowned at him, her dark eyebrows lowering into a vee over bright blue eyes as she stared at him, "It's the rules."

Pursing her mouth into a tight little rosebud, she wiggled in her seat before asking, "Who's in the staring 'mittee?"

"Let's see," Embry tapped a finger against his chin, Emmie giggling at his thinking face, "There's mothers –'cause they're really good at staring –so that means your mom…my mom…and there's also dads."

"Daddy's in the 'mitte," Emmie scrambled to stand on the chair again, her face lit with excitement, "Can I ask him?"

"Well, he's head of the committee, so yeah, you can ask him."

Her cupid's bow mouth spread into a big smile that made Embry blink –he knew she was excited because, let's face it, she had her father wrapped around her right little finger while he was wrapped around the left one.

"Mama, is Daddy here yet?"

Leah placed another pancake on the growing stack, looking over her shoulder to give her a smile, "He's in the shower, honey. And please sit down –you know Daddy doesn't like it when you stand on the chairs."

Emmie let out a soft sigh, sitting back down, eyes and nose the only thing visible over the table as she said to Embry, "Let's play again."

"Okay."

"No funny faces," she exclaimed, pointing a small finger at Embry as he arched an eyebrow at her, "It's not a rule –it has to be a rule for me not to make funny faces."

"But I don't want you to make funny faces."

"You don't?"

Emmie shook her head, one of the purple barrettes in her fine hair slipping with the movement, "Not when we're staring."

They both leaned forward, ready to stare each other down again when Rick walked into the kitchen, Zaky in his arms with Gabe following behind them, the six year old rubbing a fist over sleepy eyes as he climbed up into his chair.

"Good morning," Rick greeted everyone as he set Zaky in his high chair.

"How was last night," Embry asked with a grin, laughing as Rick shook his head.

"A pain in the ass," Rick buckled Zaky in before sliding the tray into position, the little boy holding his arms up over his head as he looked up at his father with those serious blue eyes of his, "Sam thought it would be a good idea for Brady and Dougie to do rounds with me…those two are still in the puppy category."

Embry laughed as the tray clicked into place, Rick kissing the top of his one year olds' head, "Ready for breakfast, Zak?"

He nodded, lowering his arms to tap out sounds on his tray, kicking his legs as he turned to look towards his mother, a smile spreading across his little face as she set a pancake, a bowl of berries and a strip of bacon in front of him, followed by a warm kiss to his forehead.

"Daddy," Emmie scrambled onto her knees as she leaned her elbows against the table, "Can I make a 'ficial 'quest?"

Rick gave her a confused look, ruffling Gabe's hair before moving to the other side of the kitchen where Leah was, "You want to do what?"

"She wants to put in an official request to the staring committee," Leah said in a low voice, a smile spreading across her face as Emmie repeated, "I want to make a 'ficial 'quest."

"Am I the head of this committee," he asked Embry over his shoulder, somehow knowing he had something to do with his daughter's strange question as he turned the water on to fill the coffee pot.

"Yes," Embry nodded, doing a good job at keeping a straight face as Emmie stared eagerly at her father, moving to sit on her bottom when he looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Alright then. You can make your official request now."

"A new rule," Emmie gave a single nod of decisiveness as she pointed at Embry, "No funny faces when staring."

"Ah, I see," Rick nodded as he finished getting the coffee ready –it was the one thing he insisted on doing himself because Leah never made it strong enough to satisfy his caffeine fix –"What about you? Can you make funny faces?"

"No," Emmie shook her head, the loose barrette falling to the kitchen floor, "I close my eyes when I make funny faces and that breaks the no looking away rule."

Rick laughed as he leaned against the counter, looking over at the baby monitor sitting by the phone –the squawking coming from it letting him know his twins were up and chattering to each other as was their norm every morning –"Well, what about when you learn to make faces without closing your eyes?"

Emmie stared at him as she gnawed on her bottom lip, her eyes showing the hard thinking she was doing before her face brightened up, "How 'bout no funny faces 'til I can make funny faces too?"

"Well, then," Rick nodded slowly as he smiled at his daughter, "That seems fair. What do you think, Embry?"

"I think it's a good rule," Embry nodded, reaching across the table to tweak Emmie's nose, her laughter sweet to him as Gabriel turned in his chair to look at his mother, "Mama, I'm hungry."

"_Da. Da. Da."_

"I'll get the boys," Rick leaned over to kiss Leah's cheek, wrapping his arms around her as she lifted her face up to his, hands sliding down to cover her lower stomach as he softly kissed her lips.

Embry watched them, his eyes narrowing as he focused on where Rick's hands were, having seen him do that before whenever Leah was… "Oh God! You two are pregnant again, aren't you?"

Leah's face flushed a soft pink as she looked up at Rick with a smile, her eyes dancing happily, "It's too soon to know for sure."

Embry shook his head as he looked away from Rick's hand to look at their faces, "You two shouldn't be left alone."

They chuckled as he turned his attention back to Emmie, Leah laughing softly as Rick whispered to her, "Is he that clueless?"

"I told him not to think about it."

Embry looked over at them with a confused look, "Not to think about what?"

"Nothing," Leah smiled as she turned to take the plates from the sideboard, looking over her shoulder at Rick, "Go get the boys. Embry and Emmie are leaving in an hour."

"Right," Rick stopped by Embry's chair, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Don't forget to call me every two hours while you have her with you."

"I won't," Embry assured his Alpha as Leah set the plates before Gabe and Emmie, returning with one for him, "I won't let her out of my sight, she will not talk to strangers, she will hold my hand at all times, I will not let anyone else touch her for any reason at all, there won't be any scrapes or cuts on her and I'll bring her home by bedtime."

Leah laughed as she moved past Rick, giving him a slight nudge on the side, "She's going to be fine, Rick. There's no need for all those rules. Now, how about _you_ tell your daughter what's expected of _her_ while _I_ go get the boys?"

"Emmie," he looked over at his daughter, watching in amusement as she straightened up in response to the serious tone to her name, pulling back her small shoulders as she looked him in the eye, "Yes Daddy."

"You will listen to Embry. Everything he tells you to do, you will do. Got it?"

She nodded enthusiastically as she took a bite out of her strip of bacon, Rick giving her a smile before turning to look at Embry, "Aside from food and drink, you have a limit of twenty dollars."

Embry sighed as he nodded –he hated having to say no to Emmie when she asked for something because of the 'monetary' limits Rick placed on him whenever he took her somewhere with him –which was rare anyway so he didn't understand why he had to limit himself…no arguing on his part, though, because whatever Alpha said was law.

"Da! Da! Da!"

Rick turned as Leah walked into the kitchen, a baby on each hip, one of them waving his chubby arms at him, laughing as he swung him up into his arms, "You guys ready for a day with your old man?"

"Da! Da!"

Gabe looked up from his half-eaten breakfast, "What are we doing today, Daddy?"

"Well," Rick set Andrey on his high chair as Leah placed Alyx next to him, both of them banging their hands against the trays as Leah put on their matching bibs, laughing as he read the embroidered words _'Buy One, Get One Free,'_ "Who gave you those?"

Leah looked down at her boys, Andrey tilting his head back to look at her as Alyx leaned over his tray, stretching his arm out towards Zaky as his big brother munched on his piece of bacon, berry juice staining his chubby cheeks, "That would be Rachel."

"Why doesn't that surprise me," Rick said with a chuckle as he sat down, taking one of the small bowls of pureed apples and a spoon –unfortunately, it was his turn to feed Alyx who was insistent on feeding himself…this will result in a mess that usually involved his clothes –good thing he didn't have to work today.

"Daddy," Gabe picked up his glass of orange juice as he asked again, "What are we doing today?"

"We're going to the mall park," Rick answered as he wrestled the spoon away from Alyx, dipping it into the applesauce before handing it back to him, "Then we'll pick up some pizza and meet your mama at Granma Sue's."

"What are you gonna do, mama," Gabe asked as Leah fed Andrey, her placid little boy opening his mouth as he kicked out his feet, giggling when she reached down to tickle them –it always amazed her how despite them being identical, their personalities were as different as night and day.

"I am going to do some shopping," Leah dipped the small spoon into the applesauce, choking back a laugh as Alyx yanked his spoon away from his father, splattering it across Rick's t-shirt, "And get some cleaning done around the house. Want to stay with me and help?"

Gabe shook his head, his nose scrunched up, "Nah. I'll go to the mall park with Daddy and help him with my brothers."

Leah chuckled as she scrapped up the last of Andrey's applesauce, plopping it into his waiting mouth, "That's very sweet of you. I'm sure Daddy will be very grateful for your help."

"Mama! I'm ready!"

She looked over at her daughter, laughing at the berry juice staining her lips and the fly-away hair, wondering where her well-groomed little girl of an hour ago had gone, "Oh sweetie. Not quite."

* * *

"Mou."

He looked down at Emmie, her small hand secure in his as they followed the group through the forest trail, "Yes Princess?"

"My feet hurt."

He stopped, swinging her up into his arms and looking into her blue eyes as he asked with a smile, "Want to ride on my shoulders?"

She shook her head –she liked riding Mou's shoulders 'cause it made her into the tallest girl in the world but she didn't want to be tall right now, she wanted to cuddle.

Resting her head on his shoulder, she let out a yawn, Mou's walking behind the other kids and moms and dads making her think of the rocking chair in her room –mama always sat on it and held her while she read her a book.

She liked her rocking chair very much.

"Are you paying attention, Princess?"

"Uh-hu," she nodded, her soft hair brushing against his neck as she let out another yawn.

"Your eyes are closed."

"I can hear her."

Mou chuckled as he looked down at her, tugging the hem of her small blue jeans down her legs, noticing that the shoelaces of her left pink sneaker were coming undone, "What is she talking about?"

"Trees," Emmie answered, yawning again before she pulled back to look into Mou's face, "Did you know paper comes from trees?"

"Yes."

"And ten trees make one paper."

"Ten trees," Mou's eyebrow went up higher than the other one as she nodded, giggling at the way he sounded, "For just one piece of paper? I did not know that."

"I like trees," Emmie told him as something caught her attention, "Mou, look!"

Mou looked to where her small finger pointed, seeing a butterfly with black and blue wings fluttering over a patch of bright yellow flowers, "Want to try to find it in our guidebook?"

She nodded excitedly as he pulled out the slim book from the back pocket of his jeans, flipping a couple of pages before she pointed at a picture, "It's this one!"

"Looks like it," Mou studied the picture before looking up at Emmie with a smile, "Do you know where butterflies come from?"

"Uh-hu," she nodded excitedly as she touched a small hand to the side of his face to keep him looking at her, "They're cat'pillars first then they make co'ons and turn to jelly. Then –they break free as butterflies!"

Emmie smiled big at Mou's laughter, liking the way it sounded –it made her think of the howling wolves in the forest.

She liked wolves because Daddy was one and so was Mou and Gabe and Zak and Andrey and Alyx…she was the only one that couldn't be a wolf but mama always made it fun when they all went into the woods to be wolves and she had to stay home –mama called it their girly girl time.

Wrapping her arms around his neck as they followed the other people, she smiled when he asked her with a grin, "Where'd you learn that?"

"The learnin' channel," Emmie set her head on his shoulder as she picked at a loose thread from one of the pink bows on her purple shirt, "Vivi watches it with me. She's really smart."

"I think you're smarter," Mou told her and she knew he really believed that, making her smile with happiness, "Really?"

"Yup."

The guide's voice carried to where they were at the back of the group, her talking and talking making Emmie's head feel funny as she let out a sigh.

Mou moved her up higher against his chest, his arm re-adjusting over her legs as they began to climb up a slight incline.

"Mou."

"Yes Princess."

"Which are the canivorus trees?"

Mou turned to look at her, his dark eyebrows lowering over his brown eyes as he tried to figure out what she was asking, "Do you mean coniferous?"

"Uh-hu," Emmie nodded, reaching up to fiddle with the barrette mama had put in her hair.

She had said no piggy-tails because it would be easier for Mou to fix her hair if she used barrettes instead, "That's what I meant but I can't say it right 'cause I'm only three."

Mou chuckled as he tapped a finger to her nose, making her laugh, "Don't ever let your age stop you from doing awesome things."

Emmie bit her lip as she thought of what he said –she wanted to be awesome…and smart…and pretty –because Mou always told her she was so letting out a soft sigh as she thought over the word, she decided to give it a try, saying it one syllable at a time, "Co. Ni. Fe. Rous."

"There you go," Mou tickled her side, grinning as she laughed, her forehead bumping against his jaw as she tried to curl away from his fingers, "A coniferous tree is one that produces cones –such as evergreens."

"You mean, Christmas trees," Emmie lit up at the idea, looking around them before pointing at a large pine tree several yards away, "Like that one?"

"Exactly like that one!"

"What about acorn trees," Emmie tilted her head back to look at the tree leaves up above them, giggling when he tickled her throat, tucking her chin into her chest, "Are they co-ni-fe-rous?"

"I'm not sure," Mou made that funny face he always did when he was thinking, "Why don't we ask the guide?"

Emmie shook her head, the soft curls of her hair brushing against her chin and neck, "No."

"Why not? I bet she'll know the answer."

Emmie didn't like the guide lady –she was too pretty and smiled at Mou too much when they had arrived.

"I don't like her," she said softly as she tugged at one of the little pink bows on her shirt.

"Why not," Mou nudged her chin to have her look into his eyes, giving her a smile that told her he wasn't mad about what she had said.

Scrunching up her nose, she reached out to play with one of the buttons on his shirt as she answered, words coming out in a rush, "She touches you when she talks."

Mou stared at her for a few seconds before laughing, finding it funny that she didn't like sharing –which she didn't because he was hers, "Some people like to touch when they communicate, Princess."

"I don't like it."

"Alright then," Embry gave her chin a nudge, the tight feeling around her heart loosening at the smile he gave her, "We'll go to the library sometime and look it up."

"You won't forget?"

"I won't forget."

* * *

"Look, Mou! Look!"

Embry leaned over Emmie to get a closer look, laughing as she pointed in excitement, "Your beetle's winning, Princess!"

"Yes," she nodded her head excitedly as the other kids –all boys- crowded around the table, seven beetles racing down their lanes, little sticks in little hands prodding them along, "Its faster than the others! Go Peter, go!"

Embry laughed as the beetle Emmie had named Peter scurried ahead of the others, her little feet stepping all over his as she hopped and jumped in excitement, letting out a squeal when Peter made it to the end first, "I won! I won!"

She dropped her stick onto the table, turning to jump up into his arms, laughing as he swung her up over his head before settling her on his arm as the 'referee' handed her a blue ribbon, "Here you go, sweetie. First place ribbon."

Emmie grinned as she took the ribbon from her, blue eyes bright as she showed it to him, "Look, Mou! I got first place!"

"Good job, Princess," he kissed her round cheek, laughing as she threw her arms around his neck to return his kiss with an exuberant one of her own, "What would you like to do next?"

He watched her as she carefully tucked her ribbon into the pocket of his button down shirt, enjoying the way her little face showed her contemplation of his question before she looked up at him with hopeful blue eyes, "Can we go see the spiders? I wanna see how they make their webs."

"Alright then," Embry headed towards the spider display, amazed at how excited and attentive she was with all the different insect displays –not once had she reacted in horror the way some of the other little girls did.

His little Princess was fascinated by creepy crawly things and for some reason, it made him very proud of her –some of that probably had to do with the fact that she never asked him to play tea party and dress up the way Claire did with Quil.

Instead, he helped her catch spiders and crickets –and hey, what boy didn't like doing that, no matter how old he was?

Setting her down so she can get a closer look at the large aquarium housing several spiders and their webs, he watched as she studied them attentively, obvious interest on what the guy was saying about spiders and web making showing on her beautiful little face.

"Your little girl is adorable."

"I know," he answered, turning towards the husky voice to find a pair of large gray eyes looking at him, honey blond hair cut in layers framing an oval shaped face with arched eyebrows a shade darker than her hair, a slim nose and a full mouth spread into a big smile, "Thanks."

She chuckled as he turned to look at Emmie –still enthralled with the spiders and their webs, "She seems very interested in spiders," she gave him a big smile that he didn't see because he kept watching Emmie as she watched the spiders, "I remember screaming at the top of my lungs the first time I saw one."

Embry laughed as he slid his hands into the back pockets of his worn out jeans, inadvertently stretching the shirt he wore over his broad chest as he said with obvious pride, "Not my girl. She has no squeamish factor whatsoever."

"That's a rare quality to see in girls," she chuckled as she pointed towards a dark haired boy several kids away from Emmie, "That's my son –he's also interested in stuff like this. Makes it hard for me, being a single mom and all but I love him so I put up with it."

Embry chuckled as he shifted his weight, putting a bit of space between them, his eyes never leaving Emmie as she looked up at the spider guy, listening attentively to what he was saying, "I used to drive my mom and sister crazy with this kind of stuff –my sister would complain about my tarantula because she said she could feel it crawling on her just by looking at it."

"Oh God," she laughed, lightly slapping his arm as she stepped closer, her arm brushing against his, "I was doing so good not to think about that."

Embry laughed as she rubbed her arms, moving a hand over her middle, the yellow tank top she wore lifting a few inches above the waistband of her washed out jeans, white Keds that were probably a size six on her feet.

He glanced at her quickly as he said, "The more you scratch, the more you're going to itch."

"Oh gosh," she reached up to brush her hair back as she lightly bumped her shoulder into him, "You'll just have to get my mind off it, then."

Embry chuckled, recognizing the flirting tone in her voice but his attention was on Emmie, seeing the displeasure on her face as soon as she turned to look at him, "What's wrong, Princess? Is the spider doing it wrong?"

She shook her head as she moved towards him, lifting her arms up, wrapping them around his neck as soon as he picked her up.

"Mom, I'm hungry."

They all looked down as the brown haired boy came up to the blond, tripping over the shoelaces of his sneakers.

"Let's get lunch, then," she smile at him before looking up at Embry, "I'm Ana by the way. This is my son Trevor."

"Embry," he nodded, giving the little boy a smile as he stared up at them with eyes the same shade of gray as his mother's, "And this is Emerie."

"That's a beautiful name," she gushed, smiling at Emmie but she simply held on tighter to Embry, almost cutting off his air supply as obvious hostility flashed in her blue eyes, "Would you two like to join us for lunch? We're having burgers."

"I don't like burgers," Emmie's bottom lip poked out in a pout as Embry looked at her in surprise, "You don't?"

"Not today."

"Well," Ana kept her smile bright as she looked towards Embry, "How about pizza?"

"I don't like pizza either," Emmie's voice was bordering on petulance as Embry worked hard to keep himself from laughing out loud.

"Ice cream," she made one last attempt, placing a hand on her son's shoulder to stop him from tugging at her shirt to get her attention, "All kids like ice cream."

"Not me," Emmie shook her head before turning to look into Embry's brown eyes, "Mama's gonna make spaghetti."

"Alright then," Embry grinned as she touched her nose to his before turning to give Ana a friendly smile, "It was a pleasure meeting you both."

"Yeah," she smiled at him but he didn't notice what with his attention being solely on Emmie as he walked away. It was a shame she hadn't gotten the chance to ask for his phone number –that little brat of his would have probably thrown a tantrum if she had.

Yawning as they reached his car, Emmie looked down at him with a thoughtful look on her face, "Mou."

"Yes Princess?"

Nibbling on her fingernail as he unlocked the back door, she asked quietly, "Did you think she was pretty?"

Embry laughed as he buckled her into the car seat set in the middle of his back seat, making sure she was secure before sitting backwards on the seat next to her, leaning against the back of the front passenger seat as he looked into her face, "Not as pretty as you."

Her eyes twinkled as she smiled at him, reaching out to touch her small hand to the side of his face, "Can we have burgers for lunch?"

"I thought you didn't like burgers," he teased her, tying the laces to her pink sneakers into neat little bows.

"I changed my mind," Emmie said with a cheeky smile that grew wider as he laughed, reaching up to hug his neck when he leaned in to kiss her forehead, "I love you."

Embry smiled into her blue eyes, his large hand cupping her small face, "I love you too, Princess."

* * *

Passing headlights illuminated the inside of his car as he drove down the highway towards the reservation.

Glancing into the rear-view mirror –he kept it at a slant so he could see out the back windshield as well as look at Emmie –he smiled at the sight of her sleeping face.

Her head leaned against the side of her car seat, a chocolate smudge on one cheek evidence of the ice cream they had devoured after their dinner –she had wanted burgers again –at Burger King where she had happily eaten her burger and fries while he put together the toy that had come with her meal.

Glancing at the long stretch of dark road, he got off the exit to get onto the one o one to go through Forks, looking into the rear-view mirror again as Emmie let out a sigh, reaching up to rub the back of her hand over her mouth before settling back to sleep.

It amazed him –every single minute he spend with her amazed him as he watched her explore, learn, embrace…grow.

She was such a beautiful child, with a heart and soul as pure as gold: a bright and inquisitive mind open to everything she could possibly learn, making her even more precious.

To him, it made perfect sense: this beautiful, sweet, brilliant little girl was his gravity –the very center of his universe…and every day she discovered something new pushed him to become a better man –without a doubt, she deserved to have the whole world laid at her feet.

Being the only world he could offer her was his own, he had every intention of making sure it was worth everything she could possibly need or want –he never wanted her hurting for anything, especially that which truly mattered.

Patience, security, love, support, affirmation –all of that he gave her because she inspired them therefore, they already belonged to her.

Crossing into the reservation, he let out a soft sigh of his own.

It had been a wonderful day, all too short for both of them but every minute enjoyed to the fullest.

He recalled asking Quil, back when Claire had turned four, if it was hard, having to wait so long for her to grow up.

Quil had said no and now he understood why.

From the moment he had held her, not even an hour after she was born, time had ceased to matter.

Every day he spent with her felt like an eternity in itself –a wonderful moment suspended in time that he never wanted to end.

He had no urgency for her to grow up, no desire to rush the wonderful development of such an amazing little girl…to him she was perfect just as she was.

Pulling into the driveway of the Laskaris' home, he turned off the engine, sitting in the silence for a few minutes as he listened to the sweet sound of Emmie's breaths, deep and slow as she continued sleeping.

She was a heavy sleeper –nothing could wake her once she went under, not the slowing down of a car or the screaming of a baby…he thought that to be the most adorable thing ever and to him, it made sense –after all, a brilliant little mind like hers needed to have some serious rest to continue growing and developing.

The porch light flickered on, letting Embry know it was time to return her to her parents.

That was the hard part –having to leave her.

Sometimes he envied Quil –he got to sleep under Claire's window every night while he had to live in the SU dorms hours away from where his Princess slept and lived.

Undoing the harness of her car seat, he gently lifted her into his arms, taking the plastic bag with the day's booty from the floorboard before closing the door.

He smiled as she rubbed her face against his t-shirt before settling her head onto his shoulder, her small nose pressed against the side of his neck.

Kissing her forehead as he made his way up to the front door, he gave thanks to God or fate or whoever was in charge –Rick? –that she knew who and what he was…that she had no doubts about his place in her life.

Leah opened the front door as he stepped up onto the small porch, her smile tired yet happy at the sight of her little girl, "Did she have fun?"

Embry grinned as he entered the house, handing Leah the bag before heading down the hall towards Emmie's bedroom, "Lots of it. She made a dream catcher and got the first place ribbon for the beetle race."

"First place," Leah's eyebrows lowered in alarm as she placed the plastic bag on the floor, giving it a fearful look, "They didn't give her the beetle, did they?"

"There's nothing alive in the bag," Embry couldn't keep from chuckling as he laid Emmie on her bed, the sheets already turned down, "She did, however, ask me for a plastic model of an earthworm. It opens up and you can see its insides in detail."

"Gross. I hated biology back in high school," Leah shivered as she watched him remove her baby's shoes and socks, blinking back tears at the sight of his big hands gently cradling the small feet –it made her happy to know this wonderful, gentle man was her baby girl's soul mate, "I'll put on her pajamas, Em. Rick wants to talk to you –he's waiting a few yards into the woods behind the house."

"What did I do," Embry stared up at Leah in wide-eyed apprehension, still on one knee beside Emmie's bed, her little bare feet warm in his large hands.

Leah chuckled, "Nothing. He just wants to catch up with you, what with the new house and almost finishing school."

"This coming May is graduation for me," Embry turned to look at his Emmie, brushing back her hair as he leaned over her to press a gentle kiss to her soft cheek, "Good night, Princess."

She let out a soft sigh, mumbling softly as she buried her face into her pillow, "G'night Mou."

* * *

_**Looks like you two had a good day.**_

Embry stretched, letting out a yawn before laying on his stomach, not at all fazed about having his Alpha see every memory of today as he gave his furry body a shake: _She's amazing, Rick. Smart, inquisitive –it just…blows my mind. Every chance I get to spend with her is like…seeing a whole new side of life._

Rick chuckled mentally as he tilted his head, his ears perking up as he listened to the sounds of the night: _**She amazes me constantly, as well. Did you get her number?**_

_Who's number?_

The sandy wolf turned to look at the spotted gray stretched out lazily by the river: _**The blond. Her name was Ana, right?**_

He tilted his head, confusion spelled out on his furry face as he looked up at his Alpha: _Why would I get her number?_

Rick let out a scoff that sounded between a bark and a choke: _**She was attractive…and she was coming on to you. Did you not get that?**_

Embry thought back to his day again, but no matter how hard he tried to remember what the blond had looked like, he couldn't focus on anything but Emmie's beautiful little face, blue eyes as bright as her smile: _No._

Rick shook himself, reaching up to swipe his paw over his ear in what Embry recognized as frustration: _**Embry, do you not have any relationships with women outside of the ones you call friends?**_

He knew his Alpha was trying to get to a specific point but he wasn't sure what that would be: _No._

Letting out a huff, he finally turned his blue eyes to look down at Embry:_**Okay, I'm just going to say it out loud. I know you weren't celibate before you imprinted on my daughter. You were dating Mattie, after all.**_

Embry laid his head on his paws, unexplainable guilt and shame washing over him as he explained: _Mattie and I never…I mean, I wanted too but I couldn't do that to her because of the way I felt for Emmie…it wasn't absolute but I knew what it was, what it would lead to and leading Mattie to believe there could be more between us by having –_

_**Embry,**_ Rick interrupted his Beta as he let out a soft huff: _**I'm not asking you to explain anything. What I'm trying to say is you're twenty-four years old…you're a healthy guy who attracts his fair share of pretty girls…you have certain needs all twenty-four year old guys have.**_

_No,_ Embry shook his head, pushing himself up to sit back on his haunches: _I don't have any need to…Oh, dear God._

_**What?**_

_I have no sex drive,_ Embry stood up on all fours, the fur along his back standing on end as his brown eyes widened in realization: _I'm a twenty-four year old guy and I have no sex drive! I don't even get an erection at the porn my roommate watches!_

_**You're not a freak,**_ Rick said in an attempt to calm him down but Embry was quickly losing it.

_I'm a freak, _Embry shook himself, pacing back and forth before turning his head towards his Alpha in alarm: _The other guys can't know! They'll never let me live it down!_

_**Embry**_**,** the authority in that one word alone had the spotted gray stop moving: _**The only way they'll know is if you think about it when you're linked up with their thoughts.**_

Embry shook himself again as Rick continued: _**You're not a freak…you imprinted on a child.**_

The gray head came up to look at his Alpha in sudden realization: _Wait. Quil –he imprinted on Claire when she was two. Maybe I could ask him if this is normal –Wait! You did patrols with Doug and Brady the other day. At seventeen, they should –did they think at all about sex or girls throughout the night?_

Rick stared into the brown eyes for several seconds as he thought back to that night: _**No. Videogames…food…Dougie was excited about babysitting Nika…and Brady couldn't stop bragging about Bailey beating Bradley to the top of the jungle gym dome…that pretty much covers the scope of their thoughts.**_

_Wow, _Embry blinked several times before shaking his head: _That must have been hell._

_**Yeah,**_ Rick turned his head to look over his shoulder, able to hear Quil at the other side of the reservation doing his rounds between La Push and Makah: _**I've been thinking perhaps it would be good for you to date –**_

_No._

_**Embry –**_

_No,_ he stood up, his brown eyes narrowing slightly as he glared at his Alpha: _I know you're my Alpha and I follow your rules because you really believe they'll be good for both of us in the long run but I will not date some faceless girl that holds no interest to me._

_**Embry –**_

He interrupted his Alpha again, shaking his big head as he let out a snort: _You saw the look on her face when she saw me talking to that woman. I don't want her to feel insecure –ever – when it comes to her place in my life. She knows who and what I am –I have you to thank for that –she knows with the certainty of a child, that I belong to her. I never want her to doubt that…not during her formative years…not ever._

Rick stared at his Beta, feeling a certain amount of relief at his words because he knew a large amount of his daughter's confidence came from knowing Embry's place in her life: _**I was thinking of you, Embry. I don't want you to miss out on life because you're waiting for my baby to grow up.**_

_I'm not missing out on anything, Rick, _Embry let his tongue hang out in a smile: _She is life…and I'm not waiting around for her to grow up as if it were a hardship. Watching her being the little girl she is…it's what makes my life…amazing. She does that…now._


	11. Chapter 9

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Here's the next chapter! Two updates in one day! Yay! That many reviews to look forward too! The song mentioned here that's 'written' by Lian Young is titled _Somethin' 'Bout a Truck_ by Kip Moore. Look it up and you'll get an idea of what I believe Lian sounds like.  
**

**Gaby -this one's for you, darling! Thank you for being wonderfully patient!  
**

**Ses -four!  
**

**Lette, Chelsea, Gianna -I look forward to your reviews ahead of time!  
**

**Read, Review and Enjoy all the way through! Ahhh, my battery is dying!  
**

**Chapter Nine  
**_First Week of September  
New York City_

"Okay, so here's the finished video."

Lian leaned back into the leather chair as he propped his booted foot on his knee, an elbow on the mahogany table as he watched the music video, his manager's words buzzing in the back of his head.

"The song's hitting big, Lian," Jerry pointed at his iPad, Lian pushing his hand away without saying anything, "This is going to be one of the most watched music videos by the end of the week–I tell you, it's going to be the song of the year –I can guarantee it."

He didn't say anything, just let out a sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair, the video halfway through, "The video's good."

"It's great," Jerry's excitement always got on Lian's nerves, especially in the last couple of months, "_Somethin' 'Bout a Truck_ is going to be the video of the year, guaranteed. It's been a while since you've popped out a top chart song like this…what the hell inspired you?"

"A little red dress," Lian muttered under his breath as the video came to an end, pushing the iPad back to Jerry, an eyebrow arching as his manager laughed.

"I see now," Jerry chuckled to himself as he tapped on the screen several times before blanking it, "Makes sense now, why the girl you picked looks a lot like –"

"She looks nothing like her," Lian looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows of the conference room, not seeing the New York skyline stretched out before them.

Jerry shook his head as he leaned back into the chair, stretching out his legs under the conference table, "So are the rumors on the tabloids true? Do you have a thing for her?"

"She's my cousin's ex-girlfriend," Lian said instead of answering the question, his head falling back onto the chair's headrest as he stared at the ceiling, "There's nothing more than that."

"Man, it must really stick in your craw, uh," Jerry shook his head with a chuckle as he linked his fingers over his flat stomach, giving Lian a cocky know-it-all smile, "Your cousin getting to her before you could…it must be eating you alive."

"Let me get something straight for you," Lian dropped his foot to the floor, leaning forward to give his manager a dark look, "She's nothing to me…she wouldn't even be here if it hadn't been for me giving her CD to Natalie."

"Why did you," Jerry ran his fingers through his hair before resting his hand on his stomach again, "I'm sure the moment you heard her, you knew she would become competition…not only that, but she's wrecking havoc on your playboy image, making you look like an asshole without even trying."

_That's because I am an asshole,_ Lian thought to himself as he leaned back into the chair, "I have an obligation as an artist to others with talent…and no matter what I think or feel about her, she is talented."

Jerry snorted at that as he looked at his watch, crossing his ankles while studying Lian's profile, "Why did you even listen to the CD? You should have just tossed it."

"I did it as a favor for my cousin," Lian stared sightlessly out the window, the memory of the first time he had heard her voice filling his head and doing other interesting things to his body as a shiver ran down his back, "Because he's my cousin. He asked me for the favor because he was fucking her."

"And you wish you were the one to fuck her first, uh," Jerry's cocky smile disappeared as Lian turned his dark brown eyes towards him, the lack of expression on his face letting him know he was close to stepping over some invisible line.

"Why are we here, Jerry," he asked, the tone of his voice letting his manager know he was done with that line of conversation and it would be best for him to stay away from it in the future.

"Natalie called, wanted to meet with us here in…" he looked at his watch again before looking over his shoulder towards the closed door, "Thirty minutes. I had you come in earlier so you could check out the video –kill two birds with one stone, right?"

"Sure," Lian kept his eyes on the view outside the windows, having no interest in holding a conversation with Jerry when he was already on the verge of punching his smirky face.

Minutes crawled by in awkward silence before the door opened.

Tall and willowy with dark red hair, brilliant green eyes and porcelain skin, Natalie Dosher was the driving force behind the music label quickly gaining worldwide recognition.

Looking at her, one would think she had nothing in that pretty head of hers and wonder why she didn't make a living out of modeling.

What many didn't know was that modeling was the way she had gotten into this business, using her sharp brain to do what she did best –discover talent in others and make money off of them.

"Glad you two are here," Natalie smiled at them as she set her portfolio at the head of the table, the high-waist pencil skirt she wore hugging a small waist, the black fabric smooth over round hips and long shapely legs, which she crossed as soon as she sat down, the four inch black stiletto heels she wore making her legs look even better.

"What's going on, Natalie," Lian looked at her, never liking it when she had _the_ gleam in her eyes –it usually meant she had an idea he was not going to like.

"Our party's not yet complete," she said in that cultured voice of hers –thanks to the many speech classes she took, no one would guess she was a Brooklyn girl from her voice alone –her full lips, the soft color of a peach, lifted into a small smile as she blinked at him, the smoky gray eye-shadow and black eyeliner she had applied with an expert hand making her green eyes pop, "Once the rest of the guests arrive, I'll get right to the point."

Lian stared at her, having already decided he was definitely not going to like whatever Natalie had percolating in that brilliant head of hers.

The minutes trickled by in silence, the tension slowly building until it literally crackled but Lian wasn't one to break under pressure so he kept eye contact with her, his face showing no reaction to the small smile that graced her face.

"After you, darlin'."

"Thank you, Marley."

At the sound of that smooth low voice, he looked away from his boss –it may be his voice, his music, his talent but as CEO of the label, Natalie was his boss –dark brown eyes locking onto purple ones as July Star froze several feet into the conference room, forcing her manager, short and balding with a bit of a beer gut, to move around her.

"Take a seat, Julie," Natalie swept a graceful hand towards the chairs at the other side of the table, watching with interest as Lian and July kept staring at each other, letting out a sigh when she realized neither was willing to look away first, "Julie…please sit down."

She finally broke the connection, not noticing as he watched her walk behind Natalie's chair to sit next to her manager, his eyes moving down her body before they settled back on her face again.

She was wearing tight blue jeans with black mid-calf boots made of suede, a matching jacket over a powder blue corset style top, her long hair falling down her back and shoulders in curls and braids, a black and blue rosette clip holding the sides of her hair at the base of her neck.

Sometimes he wished she wasn't so damn beautiful –then, maybe, the only hold she had over him would be her voice.

"I've asked you to meet me here to discuss the Jay Leno interview," Natalie opened her portfolio, pulling out a sleek steel pen before she rested her elbows on the table, "I'm not pointing any fingers because, quite frankly, I think both of you are at fault."

"What," July turned to look at Natalie, surprise evident in her purple eyes as she pointed a finger at Lian, "He –"

"Yes, I know," Natalie interrupted her, holding up a long fingered hand to stop the words, "Lian has a mouth big enough to shove both his feet into it and then some. However, that does not give you the right to lose your temper the way you did, Julie –especially not on live television."

He watched as she lowered her hand to her lap, leaning back into the leather chair as she crossed her long legs –God, he was a sucker for long legs –her eyes trained on Natalie, a slight tick at the side of her jaw the only outward sign of temper that he could see.

Lian moved his hand from his chin to cover his mouth, hiding the amused smile spreading across his face as he kept his eyes on her –he definitely preferred her angry…especially when the only other alternative seemed to be that damn sorrow that followed her wherever she went.

"One of the reasons my label is doing so well is due to my intolerance for mudslinging between musicians," Natalie let out a sigh as she looked down at her notepad for a few seconds before looking towards Lian, "Especially those I represent. I haven't said anything because, honestly, I thought this was the result of some love affair gone wrong –I was hoping you two would be adults about it and find an amicable solution.

"But after Leno's show, I can't figure out where you come off saying things about Julie when you've never even met her before then."

"He's got actual reason to –"

"Shut up, Jerry," Lian stopped his manager's defense, leaning forward as he looked at his producer, "What do you want me to do, Natalie? Retract all I've said? Apologize?"

"I want you to stop," Natalie pointed her pen at him, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow, "Nothing negative about Julie is to ever come out of your mouth and end up in the public ear ever again."

"Fine," Lian leaned back into his chair, lifting his shoulder as if it weren't that big of a deal to him, "Consider it done."

"Good," Natalie pulled out several sheets of paper from the side pocket of her portfolio, "I've been thinking about damage control and I think I've come up with a solution. I'm sure if you both experienced firsthand how hard the other one works, it might put you on friendlier terms. If not, this group project should at least have you learn to tolerate each other."

"Group project," July and Lian spoke up in unison, their harmonized voices mutually displeased at the idea.

"Yes," Natalie looked at Lian before turning her green eyes towards Julie, "The song you gave me last year –you asked me to find a male vocalist interested in buying it. I've been sitting on it because I felt the best voice for it would be Lian's but I wasn't sure how to propose that to you. Not only that, but the more I've thought of it, the more I've realized it would sound even better if it were a duet with a female –"

"No," July shook her head, leaning forward to take the sheets from Natalie's hand, the redhead letting them go with ease, "I know what song you're referring too –if you want him to have it, fine. He's more than welcomed to it, but I'm not singing it with him."

"Julie," Natalie looked straight into her eyes to get her point across, "I'm not giving you a choice."

"Duets are difficult to split the proceeds and ownership," Marley spoke up, leaning forward to get Natalie's attention, "Whose CD is it going to be debuted on? How are the –"

"He can have it," July tossed the sheets onto the middle of the table, leaning back into her chair, eyes staring at the opposite wall.

"What," Marley turned to look at her, his eyes bugging out of his pudgy face, "This song is gold, Julie! You can't just –"

"I have no desire to have this song tied to me," she turned to glare at her manager, knuckles white with anger as she held her fisted hands on her lap, "I wasn't even planning on showing it to anyone but what with your inability to keep your greedy hands off my journals, neither you or Natalie gave me much choice."

Jerry reached out to take the sheets, carefully reading the lyrics and notes, his eyebrows rising with each passing second before he handed them to Lian, not saying anything as Marley kept trying to make July understand.

"We're talking about a lot of money, Jul –"

"Stop," rubbing her forehead for a few seconds, lips thinned in anger as she looked at him again, "I don't care."

Marley rubbed both hands over his face but didn't say anything more –Lian was sure it must be frustrating working with a talented musician that didn't care about making money.

"I like knowing the background of songs I buy," Lian stated as he set the music sheets down, ignoring his manager's surprise –normally, Lian didn't care as long as it was a song the fit his style, such as this one –as he stared across the table at July, watching a shadow cross her face before she blinked, her eyes curiously empty as she looked right back at him.

"It was inspired by a drunken night with a guy I had shared something special with," her long fingers drummed against the surface of the table, her voice flat as she continued, "At least I thought it had been special but after four bottles of tequila, he let me know all I had been good for was to pass the time until he found the one he could truly love –which he had."

The silence that followed her words was palpably tense as they stared at each other.

Taking a deep breath, he looked away from those empty eyes, staring at the music in his hand as he worked hard to control his rage but he knew the only way that was going to happen at this moment was if Seth were standing right in front of him –God, what he would give to bury his fist into his cousin's face!

Natalie cleared her throat before resting her arms on the table and leaning forward, "Studio 'E' will be at your disposal starting the third Monday of this month until Julie leaves for her concert in London, which is the twenty-ninth. I'm hoping you'll be able to put aside your personal differences and work together to find a way to mesh your talents."

No one said anything as she closed her portfolio and pushed her chair back, rising gracefully to her feet.

Looking at Julie, then Lian, she let out a soft sigh, "I admire you both. One thing you have in common is your expectation for perfection from yourself and those who work with you. You're both amazingly talented with a work ethic I can never complain about so I know you'll give me a Grammy-worthy song."

Giving them both one last look, she walked out of the room, the door closing silently behind her.

The tense silence lasted for a couple of minutes before Marley cleared his throat, "Julie, I advise you to double the –"

"No," July pushed her chair away from the table, obviously wanting to leave, "I said he can have it and I meant it. Hell, he can tell the whole world he wrote it for all I care."

"Wha –" Marley's mouth fell open as he sputtered, reminding Lian of a bass fish he had once caught during a fishing trip with Seth and Uncle Harry, "But Julie –"

"If you gentlemen will please excuse us," Lian interrupted what was sure to be a string of pointless attempts to change her mind, "I'd like to speak with Miss Star alone."

The silence that followed pulsated –it was practically another living, breathing thing in the room with them –before Marley stood up, walking out of the conference room without looking at or asking July if she was okay with the request of leaving her alone with Lian.

Without saying anything, Jerry picked up his iPad, giving July a nod as he stood up, silently following behind Marley.

As soon as the door closed, Lian turned to look at her, watching in silence as she stared at the table, her long fingers drawing patterns on the polished surface, he thought back to the first time he had seen her play a guitar –those fingers could make magic thrum from the steel strings…could they do the same to his body?

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, he looked up at her face as he flicked the corners of the papers sitting on the table between his hands, "Your manager's right…this song is worth its weight in gold."

"I don't care," the words came out through clenched teeth as she finally looked up at him, purple eyes bright as she grudgingly explained, "Writing music is the way I get rid of emotions too strong to keep inside. That song was going to end up in the trash if Marley hadn't been so damn nosy…if you notice, I didn't even write my name on it."

He looked down to see that fact before looking into her eyes, noticing how they tipped up at the ends, "You keep using blood to write music, you're going to run dry."

July gave him an angry scowl as she curled her fingers into her palm, fist resting on the table, "Why do you care?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly, seeing the way her eyes opened wide before he stood up, taking the sheets of paper and folding them before he slipped them into the inside pocket of his tan jacket, "Do you want to use your band or mine?"

July tapped a finger against the table several times before getting to her feet, "Why don't we just have both bands there and figure it out as we go?"

"Fine," Lian got to the door before she did, reaching out to stop her from opening it, "About what I said at Leno's interview –"

"Forget it," July's jaw clenched as she stared at him, purple eyes flashing in anger and a bit of hurt, "I don't know where you get thinking you know me –"

"I know you more than you think," Lian's words were soft as he leaned in closer to her, "I know you're willing to risk it all in hopes of finding something real –something lasting. I know you feel out of place…like you don't belong in this world…I know you give yourself completely…blindingly…stupidly.

"That's the problem when you let your heart write out its thoughts and then share it with everyone else. You have no secrets, July…you may think you're hiding all that pain and disillusionment behind that sad little smile but you're not."

Julie stared up at him, her breathing coming in harsh gasps as she tried to negate everything he said but she couldn't –his words bounced around her head, the echo growing louder in her heart as it sank with the weight of the truth in them.

There it was –that damn sad look that pissed him off because he knew the reason behind it and he hated it.

He'd rather have her mad than drowning in sadness and asshole that he was, he knew just how to accomplish that.

"Now do you understand my opinion of you," the venom in his words burned a path up his throat and out of his mouth, but it was less painful to say things he didn't believe than to handle the dark pain he saw in her eyes, "You give the best of yourself to every person that comes along with hopes of finding yourself…very much like a woman that makes a living on her bac –"

The pain exploded against his left cheek, his neck protesting as his head snapped to the side.

Slowly turning to look into her angry eyes, he couldn't see any of the pain she normally carried with her –it was all anger –at him.

He had succeeded –at what price, he wasn't sure but it was well worth it if she wasn't sinking in self-pity.

"Feel better," he asked softly, watching the anger turn to caution and he knew she was remembering what he had told her last time she had slapped him as she slowly nodded.

"Good."

He moved so fast Julie didn't get the chance to step back.

One hand on the small of her back, the other tangling in her hair, he pulled her into him, his mouth closing over hers.

She reached up to push him away, unable to keep gasping in surprise which served to give him access to her mouth as he slid his tongue over hers, the bitter taste of anger coating it.

Fisting her hands into his shirt, the world spun as he turned them, pushing her up against the wall, pressing his body against hers.

Just as she was about to knee him in the groin, something strange happened.

Her body disconnected itself from her brain, leaving it screaming to push him away as her rage morphed into desire.

Pushing her body against him, she tilted her head back, the anger in the kiss slowly dissipating as he picked up on her eager response.

A small moan of protest escaped her throat as he pulled back slightly to look into her eyes before moving his lips over hers, their tongues slowly exploring together as he moved his hands down to her narrow waist, pulling her closer at the same time she pulled at his shirt, her head falling further back for a tighter fit.

Seconds trickled into minutes as the kiss slowly changed with every breath –the anger had melted into desire, surprise leading to exploration and now, tender passion budded, slowly blooming between them as their breathing sped up.

As he pulled away, he gave her bottom lip a gentle tug, his teeth scraping over the delicate curve before he stepped back, his fingers brushing the soft skin exposed between her jeans and top as he dropped them to his sides.

Julie uncurled her fingers from his shirt, pressing her trembling hands against her quivering stomach as she stared at him, eyes wide and full of shock.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something –he wasn't quite sure what, but he stopped before anything came out.

A large part of him recognized the magic still pulsating between them, thick ribbons of desire weaving through the moment and he didn't want to ruin it with words so he simply reached up to touch his thumb to her bottom lip, his long fingers gently stroking her jaw before he turned and walked out of the room, the soft whoosh of the closing door following his retreating steps.

Several seconds passed before Julie let out a shuddering breath, her eyes looking out the window, seeing nothing as she tried to find her brain.

Her body was flushed, trembling –it felt like she had gotten hold of a live wire and now she was trying hard to get herself under control.

Her heart stuttering as she took a burning breath, the light bulb in her head she called a brain finally flickered back on.

What the hell happened?

* * *

_Friday, Second Week of September  
Forks Memorial Hospital_

"He's so beautiful, Kimmy," Rose smiled in awe as she stroked a finger over a soft round cheek before lifting her camera, the flash going off several times as Kim laughed.

"You're going to blind him, Rose," she giggled at the enthusiasm on her friend's face, "Were you this excited with Leah's babies?"

"Of course," Rose set her camera to the side, briefly touching the peach colored rosebuds Jared had brought his wife before he left to pick up Nika and Ian from their grandfather's place, "Babies make wonderful subjects."

Kim laughed, looking down at her newborn son, his dark eyes blinking as he laid awake in her arms, "He's so quiet…I remember Monika and Ian either sleeping or crying but they never just stayed quiet while awake."

"According to Leah, all babies are different," Rose moved her camera bag off the chair to sit down, "With the amount of babies she's had, I'm taking her word for it."

Kim laughed, touching a finger to his tiny palm to watch in fascination as he wrapped his fingers around it, "The voice of experience. So when are you and Seth going to get started on having your own?"

"Oh," Rose blushed in surprise as she shifted in her seat, "Well, umm…we're not in a hurry to start having kids right now…I mean, I'm just twenty-two and he's twenty-five…and we have the twins."

"That's true," Kim shifted in the bed, grimacing in discomfort, "Although those two can pretty much raise themselves."

"That may be so but they're still children," Rose gave her friend a smile, her hazel eyes widening as she recalled, "I just remembered! Minerva sent me a manifest of the final sales of your pots along with a check."

Kim took the offered papers, her eyes going wide as she saw the number on the right-hand side of the check, "Oh my God! Are you serious?"

"She took the ten percent you both agreed on," Rose explained as she pulled out a business card from her wallet and handed it to her, "If you look at the manifest list, she sold everything. She asked me to give you this, told me that although she enjoyed doing this for you, it would be better to get someone that specializes in pottery. Minerva says this guy is the best in that area and you should give him a call."

"Oh my God," Kim couldn't stop staring at the check she held, her hand shaking slightly, "I can't…I can't believe my pots…I didn't think they'd go for this much!"

Rose laughed, reaching up to toss her long ponytail over her shoulder, "I told you they'd sell. You have an amazing talent that others will pay to own a piece of…don't hide it away."

"I won't," Kim shook her head, finally looking up from the check, "Do you realize this will cover Nika's first semester of college?"

"That's still some years away," Rose said with a chuckle as she crossed her legs, "But if you want her to get a degree then call that guy and set up a meeting. Minerva sent him a portfolio of your pieces and she says he's highly interested in working as your manager."

"I'll call him," Kim said with a nod, looking around the room for her cell phone, "I'll call him right now."

"Kimmy."

She looked up at Rose, Patrick Roy finally asleep.

"It's eight thirty five at night. Call him Monday morning."

"Right," Kim laughed as she set the check and manifest list on the side table, "Rose…Jared and I were wondering if you and Seth would agree to be Patrick's godparents."

"Really," Rose's face lit up as her smile blossomed, "We would love too!"

Kim laughed, relief washing over her as she smiled at Rose, "When you came into our lives, you didn't just change Seth's world –you've managed to change all of ours. Thanks to you, I…I just don't know how to thank you."

Rose smiled, blinking away tears before she stood up, reaching out to softly stroke Patrick's dark hair, "You already have."


	12. Chapter 10

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Kudos to my Idea-Beta, Gaby, for the wonderful idea of the aquarium. I've already got chapter eleven done and have started working on chapter twelve. And since I have internet at home again (ALLELUIA!) updates shall resume to one a week, as long as my muse continues to be inspired.  
**

**Gaby -love you so much girly! Look forward to this review as I do to every one of the ones you write.  
**

**Ses -five!  
**

**Ghostrider (or is it reader?) -just letting you know this is half Julie/Lian. Sorry that you skip Julie sections but if you start reading this, please continue considering the first part is inadvertently Collin and Lyn (imprints)  
**

**Chelsea, Lette, Moani, Gianna -you gals are amazing for sticking it out with me.  
**

**As always, enjoy the chapter as you read it and please, for my sake, review!  
**

**Chapter Ten**  
_Third Monday of September  
New York City_

"_I have the most amazing news to tell you! Oh my God, Firecracker! I still can't believe this is happening! I'm just…so happy!"_

"Lyn…Lyn," Julie tried to stop the rushing train that was her sister's excitement, "Slow down, sweetie. You're talking so fast the only way I would be able to understand you would be under water."

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just can't…I'm so…"_ Lyn let out a scream, Julie jerking the phone away from her ear in time to save her ear drum from damage, the members of her band laughing at the far off sound of Lyn's excited screams.

"_Okay, I'm done,"_ Julie heard her sister take a deep breath, picturing her doing the whole hand waving thing in an effort to calm herself before she asked curiously, "_Who's with you?"_

"The band," Julie answered, leaning against the wall as she watched out of the glass window of the sound booth, her heart jumping into her throat as the door opened, Lian walking in followed by the members of his band, "We're recording a new song today."

_"Oh gosh, Julie,"_ Lyn apologized profusely, _"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have called you when you're working. I'm so sor –"_

"Stop," she interrupted her, looking away from Lian's dark brown eyes, pressing her forehead against the wood paneling as she turned her back to him, "Nothing's more important to me right now than to listen to your news."

_"Are you sure?"_

"Yes."

_"Great,"_ the word came out in a breathless rush and Julie just knew her sister was bouncing in barely contained excitement, _"So this last Saturday, Collin and I made plans to go out –you know, have fun and blow off some steam before midterms –"_

"Oh God," Julie chuckled softly, fighting the urge to look over her shoulder, able to feel his eyes on her; "First semester of med school and you're already doing midterms."

_"I know! It's been crazy, what with lectures, projects, research papers, clinicals –Human Genetics is kicking my ass but thank God, I got that midterm out of the way early this morning."_

"Sounds like you're living the life, sissy," Julie teased her little sister, reaching up to pick at a seam between panels, shifting slightly to lean her shoulder against the wall, "So what happened Saturday?"

_"Okay, so Collin said he would plan the whole thing –which I was so thankful for because I had to finish the third unit of my Endocrinology course –"_

"Lyn," Julie interrupted her sister, not because she didn't enjoy hearing about her classes but because she was running out of time –she could practically hear Lian's frustration in the silence, "Honey, you need to get to the point."

_"Right, right, I'm sorry. Okay, so Saturday evening, I get ready –he tells me it's casual so I wear jeans and a nice top because, really, I'm just too tired to put any effort into looking pretty –"_

"Looking pretty comes natural to you," Julie told her softly, smiling as her sister laughed.

_"That's what Collin said. Anyway, we met in the living room –"_

"You two aren't sharing a room," Julie crossed her ankles, staring at the black and purple converse sneakers she wore along with washed out black jeans and a purple t-shirt three sizes too big, the hem tied in a knot at her back, the low waistline of the jeans leaving her bellybutton ring on display.

_"No, it's so frustrating, seriously, but he insists on no sex until after marriage –how archaic is that?"_

Julie laughed, reaching back to brush at a curl tickling her neck –she had thrown her hair up into a messy knot at the top of her head, barely taking the time to apply some mascara and lip-gloss, "I like him even more now."

_"Oh, don't be such a prude;"_ Lyn blew a raspberry into the phone,_ "I happen to know you and Seth –"_

"Madelyn."

_"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said that."_

"It's alright," Julie reached up to touch her aching lip, surprised to see blood on her fingertips –she had bit down hard enough to break skin, "Just…please…tell me about Saturday."

_"Okay, so we meet in the living room –I'm thinking dinner at Red Hot Mama and maybe some dancing over at Encore but instead, he drives us to the aquarium."_

"The aquarium," Julie's voice had a high pitch tone of surprise to it.

_"That's exactly what I thought –I mean, it's after eight pm and there's no way they're open but there's this guy waiting for us at the front entrance. At this point, I'm beyond confused as to what's going on but since Collin made all the plans, I didn't say anything while we followed the guy into the aquarium."_

Julie's heart seized as she realized where this was going, her eyes filling up with tears as she took in a sharp breath, "What happened next?"

_"Oh, Firecracker…it was amazing! He led us to the tunnel in the thousand gallon tank –the lights were on and it looked so beautiful, with the blue water and the fish swimming around and over us…there was a table in the middle..."_

Julie blinked fast but a tear still managed to escape as she reached up to wipe it away, "Then?"

_"He had our dinner catered to us –Italian because it's my favorite. We ate and there was music –all of my favorite songs. Candles on the table with yellow roses…so romantic."_

"Oh God, Lyn," Julie sniffed, rubbing her hand over her chest as she dug her toe into the bottom seam of the paneled wall, rolling her shoulders back –she could feel all of them looking at her and knew by the silence they were avidly listening to her side of the conversation, "Did he?"

_"I had no clue he was going too,"_ Lyn exclaimed, her voice slightly shaky with tears of joy, _"After dinner, he asked me to dance and we did…then in the middle of one of your songs –"_

"Which one," Julie asked, feeling grateful to Collin that in this small way, he had made sure she would be part of such a special moment in her little sister's life.

_"'If I Ain't Got You,'"_ Lyn let out a soft sob followed by a sniffle, _"Oh, Julie, it was beautiful. He got down on his knees, took my hands and told me how I was his best friend, the center of his world –the meaning of his life and how if he hadn't found me, everything he could ever do –like becoming a doctor –would have no meaning, no purpose or passion. I was crying so hard, just listening to him and then…"_

Julie listened to her little sister take a shuddering breath before she continued, "_He said the most amazing thing ever –told me how he wanted to ask me right there, between his world and mine, to be his wife."_

"Oh Lyn," Julie let out a soft sob, no longer able to keep the tears at bay as she felt a large hand settle between her shoulder blades.

Looking over her shoulder, she gave Adam –her bass guitarist –a watery smile, nodding when he mouthed '_Is everything okay?_'

_"I'm so happy, Julie. Oh God! I need to send you a picture of the ring –it's beautiful!"_

Her iPhone beeped, letting her know she had just gotten a text.

Moving the phone away from her ear, she opened the text message, the attachment opening as soon as she tapped on the icon.

A gasp escaped her at the sight of a platinum ring, a square cut diamond centered with pink diamonds around the band on either side –it was beautifully simple yet classically gorgeous, "Lyn, it's beautiful!"

_"Right,_" Lyn's voice echoed in the sound booth, the iPhone having gone automatically into speaker when Julie had opened the text, _"Sienna helped him pick it out before we moved to Tacoma. I'm still amazed she was able to keep this a secret from me for so long!"_

"Sienna," Julie asked as she studied the ring, able to see how it was a perfect fit for her little sister.

_"Collin's little sister. You met her at graduation –Oh, Julie, I'm so happy! I thought maybe now that we're engaged, once we got back to our apartment, we would…but no, stubborn boy still won't put out!"_

Julie grimaced as the guys behind her all laughed, quickly taking her sister off speaker as Lyn squeaked out, _"Did you have me on speaker? Oh my God! This is so embarrassing!"_

"I'm sorry," Julie tried to muffle her laughter into her hand, "I was still looking at your ring –if it's any consolation they think Collin's a wimp for holding out on you."

Lyn laughed at that, the sound of a slamming door echoing in the background, _"I'm gonna tell him that –who knows, maybe the extra pressure will have him cave…I can at least hope."_

"Have you two set a date," Julie asked, looking down at the silver watch on her wrist, grimacing internally at the realization she had been on the phone for almost forty minutes –the guys were probably starting to get impatient…if they weren't already.

_"I want you to be there so it'll be sometime after you get back from tour…I want you to be my maid of honor, Julie…help me pick out my dress and stuff."_

"I would love that, Lyn," she said with a smile, turning away from the wall, "You and Collin pick whatever date you want…I promise I'll be there every step of the way."

_"I'm thinking maybe sometime in June, between spring and summer semesters –"_

"That sounds great," Julie looked up from the floor, her eyes locking with Lian's –he was sitting on a stool, quietly holding a well loved acoustic guitar between his knees, one booted foot on the floor, the other hooked onto the bottom rung as he watched her, the blank expression on his face having her wonder what he was thinking, "Lyn, we've been talking for almost an hour and I've got the band here so I gotta let you go."

_"Oh, shit. Of course. We'll talk next weekend –I have midterms all week so I won't be able to talk much during the week, what with studying and all. Hey, I heard you're doing a duet with that asshole Lian Young. Is it true?"_

"Yes," Julie couldn't look away from his eyes, the kiss they had shared last time they'd seen each other dominating her thoughts –she prayed to God he couldn't see the memory of it in her eyes, "That's actually what I'm working on today."

_"Oh, gosh, I was hoping it wasn't true. Is he there right now? I'd like to give him a piece of my mind."_

"No," Julie lied, taking a deep breath as she saw something in his dark brown eyes that made her body come alive, her blood humming as small electrical currents ran along her skin, "He's not here yet. Madelyn, we'll talk later, okay? I love you."

_"I love you too, Firecracker, and I miss you so much! Oh! Call mom when you have the chance –she's getting ready to take her nursing exam and could use some encouragement."_

"I will. Tell Collin congratulations for me –he couldn't possibly find a better woman than you."

Lyn laughed as she repeated the words, Collin's laughter coming through the line, _"He says he already knows but thanks for reminding him. We'll talk later. Bye!"_

"Bye," letting out a soft sigh as the line went dead, she quickly shut her phone off before giving all the guys an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that. My little sister got engaged this last Saturday."

"We surmised as much," Adam teased her as he continued to tune his bass guitar, "She's in medical school, right?"

"First year," Julie said with a proud smile, moving towards her stool as she took her guitar from its stand, "Both her and her fiancé attend UW in Tacoma. Let's get started, then."

"We've got too many musicians in the room, don't you think, Jules," Dave –her drummer –asked as he twirled one of his drum sticks all the while giving Lian the stink eye.

"What I was thinking we could do is hodge-podge it –see what works and what doesn't. We might end up having to mix and match you guys –is that all right?"

Those in her band nodded reluctantly before looking towards Lian and his band, watching as he looked over his shoulder at them before looking back at Julie, "Sounds good to us. Let's get started."

* * *

**_One thirty-three in the morning_**

"And that's how it's done," exclaimed Micah –Lian's drummer –as he rolled his sticks across his drum kit, hitting the crash cymbal last as everyone laughed.

Julie let out a yawn, stretching her arms over her head, the sound of her back popping drowned by the guys –some from her band, some from Lian's –putting their instruments away, "Great job, guys."

"Always a pleasure, Jules," Adam squeezed her shoulder as he moved around her to place his guitar into its case, taking hers from its stand to do the same, "Marley's going to be pleased with this one."

"Marley doesn't have a say on this one, Adam," Julie rubbed the back of her neck, rolling her head as she lifted her shoulders, trying to loosen the knots there, "This one's Lian's."

Adam's eyebrows lowered in confusion as he looked over at Lian, watching the guy place his acoustic guitar into its case before turning to Julie, his voice low, "You wrote it…it's got you written all over it. Why is he getting to keep it?"

"I don't want it," Julie answered, pulling at the messy bun at the top of her head, her long hair spilling down her back as she slid the hair tie onto her wrist, "Natalie thought he'd do justice to the song and didn't give me a choice about the duet…as punishment for slapping him on live television."

Adam swallowed back a laugh as he leaned her purple guitar case against the wall alongside his, "Don't let Dave know…he's already pretty pissed about having to skip out."

"Ugh," Julie sat on a nearby stool, stretching out her long legs as she rubbed her aching neck, "We agreed on that. I so don't want to have to deal with his emo-crap."

"I'll talk to him," Dan –Dave's twin brother and one of her three guitarists –gave her shoulder a squeeze as he moved towards the open door, "He won't be giving you any bullshit."

"Thanks, Dan," Julie gave him a tired smile, the shiver running down her back letting her know that Lian was staring at her –again, "You did great."

"Thanks for keeping me," Dan grinned as he tipped his chin at Lian, "I know for a fact his guitarist is much more experienced and talented than I am."

"It was all about the chemistry," Julie tucked her chin into her chest, her hair spilling over her shoulders to create a curtain to keep Liam from seeing her flushed face –hours of being so close to him had her as tense as a cat on a high wire.

Adam reached out to place a big hand over the back of her head, long fingers burrowing into her hair to massage her scalp as the other guys gathered their things, conversations amiable while they made their way out of the studio.

Dan slapped Adam's back on his way out, "See ya at the pitch tomorrow."

"Yeah," Adam waved at his friend and roommate before turning his attention back to Julie, "Want me to take you home?"

For the first time throughout the little scene playing out before him, Lian spoke up, "We still need to do the vocal track."

Adam turned his blue eyes towards him, cocking an eyebrow, "It's almost two in the morning, man."

"Don't worry," Lian slid his fingers into the pockets of his worn out jeans, the black t-shirt he wore stretching across his broad chest in a way that made Julie's heart skip a few beats, "I'll make sure she gets home safe."

Adam looked down at Julie, his hand moving to rest on her shoulder, "You okay with that?"

She nodded, letting out a tired sigh, "I just want to get this done and over with. Don't worry about me, Adam, I'll be fine. I'm a big girl, remember?"

"Right," Adam gently cuffed her chin as he chuckled before stepping back and bending down to grab his backpack before taking his guitar case, "You're such a pussy-cat I often forget you have claws."

Julie gave him a smile, taking a deep breath as he walked out of the studio, the large room shrinking immensely now that it was just her and Lian…and Sammy –the recording engineer at the other side of the window…can't forget her.

"He seems rather fond of you," Lian's voice was quiet yet something in the way he said it made her tense up, eyes guarded as she looked into the dark brown eyes quietly studying her.

"I've gotten close to all the guys in my band," Julie's tone was slightly defensive as her jaw tightened minutely, "What's it to you?"

Lian didn't answer, simply stared at her, his breathing steady despite the way his heart was beating hard against his ribs –it had pissed him off, seeing Adam touching her with such familiarity.

The seconds ticked by in silence before he spoke up again, his voice making her think of whiskey –God, a stiff drink sounded good to her right now, "How 'bout we listen to the instrumental tracks before we start working on the vocals? It should give us an idea on how we want to work out the duet."

She lifted a shoulder, feeling a twinge of disappointment at the change of subject –she could use a fight right now, maybe that would keep her body from humming every time he spoke –grimacing at the sharp pain lancing up her neck, "Sure."

Stepping out of the sound booth, they moved towards the recording equipment outside the booth, Lian picking up a headset and handing it to her before he took one for himself, giving Sammy a smile, "Take a break, girl. You look wiped out."

"You two are fuckin' slave drivers. God, I hope fuckin' Natalie dies a horrible death for pairing you up," Sammy said with a yawn, stretching her arms up and over her head, the tiny black shirt she wore riding up her ribs, revealing a bit more of the intricate tattoo that went from the waistband of her ripped jeans, up the left side of her ribs, across a flat stomach to disappear under the hem of her shirt, "Do me a fuckin' favor and keep the volume down. I'm gonna take a nap on the couch."

As soon as she stretched out on the black leather couch, Lian pulled over another chair as Julie sat on the one Sammy had vacated.

They worked in silence, listening to track after track –keyboard, drums, acoustic, bass, electric, overhead left, overhead right –it went on and one for quite some time.

The notebook Sammy used to keep detailed notes on every track –she was obsessively organized despite her thrown together appearance –began filling up with markings as both Lian and Julie marked the tracks they like, the ones they didn't and combinations they felt could work well together.

As the last track faded out, Lian marked an X next to it before removing the headphones, glancing quickly at his watch –it was nearing four in the morning.

Looking over at Julie, he pretended not to notice the tight look around her purple eyes or the tired droop to the corners of her lips before he looked towards the couch, "Sammy?"

Jerking away, she blinked tiredly at him, "What?"

"Let's do the vocal track –we'll mix and edit on Wednesday, master the whole thing on Thursday."

"Fuck," Sammy rubbed her hands over her face as she sat up, arching her back before standing up, "Let's get this shit done. I need to go home before Sheila starts thinking I'm with some other bitch."

Lian chuckled as he set the headset to the side, moving into the sound booth with Julie trailing behind him.

Opening his duffel bag by the door, he pulled out two bottles of water, handing one to Julie as he looked into her eyes, the usually bright purple dimmed by exhaustion, "You up for this?"

"Yeah," Julie's agreement came out in a yawn as she uncapped the bottle, taking a long drink before coming up for air.

It was five twenty-two in the morning by the time they were both satisfied with the multiple vocal tracks they had recorded.

Sammy tossed her headphones onto the desk, flipping the switches to turn off her recording equipment before leaning forward to rap her knuckles against the glass.

Lian looked up, laughing as she gave him the one finger salute –as was her custom since he met her back when recording his first CD –waving good-bye with a cheeky smile on her face.

Julie watched the door close, fighting hard to keep control of her heart but it wasn't easy.

She was alone, in a closed room, with Lian Young –asshole extraordinaire and panty-dropping kisser.

"I'll walk you to your car," Lian said without looking at her, the strap of his duffel back settling over his shoulder before he grasped the handle of his guitar case.

"I don't have a car," Julie answered as she grabbed her backpack, the purple guitar case on her other hand, "I'll get a taxi."

"Where do you live?"

She hesitated for a few seconds before turning to look at him, "Asbury Park."

"Nice," Lian moved across the room, opening the door and stepping back to let her through first, "I actually go there every morning to watch the sunrise."

She tried not to let that get under her skin –she also watched the sunrise every morning, toes buried into the sand as the ocean pounded the shore, hearing it call out to her again and again.

No words were exchanged as they took the elevator down, Lian's hand on her arm halting her exit on the first floor, "I'll drive you."

"You don't have too."

"I know," he pulled her back into the elevator before pushing the button, the elevator moving down one more floor to open at the underground garage, his hand on the small of her back guiding her across the asphalt.

Lian dropped his hand to dig the keys out of his pocket, opening the trunk and placing his guitar and duffel back into it before closing it.

Taking her guitar case, he led her to the passenger side, opening the back door to slide the instrument onto the seat, closing the door before opening hers.

"This is a 1966 Thunderbird Ford, right," she asked as she looked around the interior of the car, smoothing her hand over the leather seat, missing the look of shock Lian gave her.

"You know cars?"

She nodded her head as she set her backpack between her feet, wincing at the pain in her tense shoulders –she needed a hot shower in the worst way, "I have a friend that likes old cars. If we weren't talking music, we talked cars. Derek would give his right arm for this one."

He chuckled, saying nothing as he closed the door before walking around the front, watching out of the corner of his eye as she leaned across the driver's seat to pop the lock open for him.

The ride was quiet, the traffic light as he made his way across the city towards Asbury Park.

Julie didn't say anything as he turned off of Lake Avenue and drove onto the beach, setting the car in park before he turned off the engine.

"Three minutes before the sun rises," he said without looking at her, pushing the button that would have the top fold back, letting the breeze flow into the open car.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, the sea-salt smell in the air filling her lungs as she let her head drop back onto the headrest, a soft groan of pain slipping past her lips.

"Turn around."

Her eyes flew open as she turned to look at Lian, "What?"

"You carry all your stress on your shoulders," Lian moved sideways on his seat, his drawn up knee nudging her hip, "Turn around."

She wanted to say no but the memory of how it felt when he had last touched her caused that disconnection again –her brain kept screaming for her to get the hell away from him while her body ignored it.

Turning her back to him, an involuntary moan escaped her as soon as his hands settled on her shoulders, his thumbs digging into the painful knots.

Letting her head drop forward, she bit her lip to keep herself from making any more noise, her face flushing in embarrassment as she felt her body responding to his touch.

Rubbing his thumbs down the back of her neck, he squeezed the muscles running down to her shoulders before kneading them, feeling the knots there slowly relaxing.

Leaning forward, his nose brushed against the side of her neck as he took in a deep breath, Julie's voice hitching, "What are you doing?"

"You smell so good," Lian's words whispered across her skin, her head tilting back without permission as his nose traced her hairline, his chest solid against her shoulder blades.

"I smell like sweat," it seemed like her mouth was the only part of her body still in accordance with her brain, "And a twenty-four hour workday."

"It suits you," he whispered into her ear, a shiver running down her back as his hands slowly followed after it, his thumbs rubbing against her spine in a way that made the screaming in her head drop to a whimper.

Julie's breathing was coming fast, her thighs clenched together in hopes of relieving the pressure that was gathering down there, her mouth betraying her along with the rest of her traitorous body as it let a moan escape, her voice husky as she whispered, "That feels good."

Lian's lips moved against her ear as he slid his hands under her shirt, his magical fingers kneading the muscles as he moved his hands up her bare back, dragging the shirt along with it.

His lips moved along the outside of her ear before he tugged at the top curve, his teeth scrapping against her skin making her whimper, his breath hot as he whispered, "You're so easy to please."

She may be over-reacting but his words just rubbed her the wrong way as she tensed up in a heated rush of anger.

Moving away from him, she shoved the door open, grabbing her backpack before stepping out.

Lian watched in confusion as she slammed the door, reaching into the back seat to grab her guitar case, her words harsh as she glared at him, "Just like a whore, right?"

"Wha –"

She didn't let him finish, walking away with her back unnaturally straight, leaving him sitting in his car with his mouth open in utter confusion.

He was trying to catch up on the whole situation but the aroused state he was in was making it difficult.

As he watched her move towards nearby condominiums, her words finally sank in, having the same effect as a cold shower.

Reaching to rub the back of his neck, he thought back to what he had said to have her jump down his throat like that, still feeling confused over the whole damn thing.

What the fuck had happened?

* * *

**_Second Week of October_**

"I made an appointment with doctor Lodhi for next week," Leah handed the washed dish to her husband, scrubbing the next one as he dried the plate before placing it into the open cupboard where she kept them, "Wednesday, at two-thirty."

Rick took the next plate from her wet hand, efficiently drying it as he gave her a smile, "I have track practice at four so that would work best if we meet her at the hospital."

"That's what I thought," Leah gave him a smile, "Which is why I scheduled to meet at her office there."

Rick laughed as she finished washing the last plate, drying it and placing it into the cupboard as she drained the sink and wiped down the counters, "Thank you for being so accommodating."

Leah laughed, folding the towel over the lip of the sink before she washed the smell of dish detergent off her hands, giving him a cheeky grin, "I've gotten used to having you with me."

Rick hung the drying towel on the hook where it belonged –he'd learned the hard way in the past three years that Leah was very particular about her kitchen –before wrapping his arms around her, "As have I, _agape mou_."

Drying her hands, she turned fully into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck as he lowered his head to hers, their lips brushing lightly, the tip of his tongue touching her bottom lip before she pushed her body into his, her lips sealing over his.

The kiss slowly deepened, the desire that always seemed to simmer under the surface leaping into flames as he moved his hands down her back, slipping his fingers into the back pockets of her jeans.

"Hey! None of that!"

They broke apart, looking towards the open door leading into the kitchen from the backyard, Seth giving them a stern look, his brown-green eyes twinkling, "I already have four nephews and one niece. I don't need any more so please maintain a distance of five –no, ten feet…just to be on the safe side."

Leah blushed as Rick chuckled, both turning to face her brother.

Rick kept his hand right where it was –inside Leah's back pocket –the other one resting on her stomach, his thumb hooked into the waistband of her jeans as Leah asked her brother, "What are you doing here?"

"No moon tonight," Seth arched an eyebrow in surprise, "It's our turn to babysit, right?"

"Oh gosh," Leah laughed as she reached to brush her hair back –it was starting to get long, as was usual with every one of her pregnancies, "It momentarily slipped my mind."

Seth's eyebrows rose up as he looked from Leah to Rick then back, "Well…then…where are the monsters? Rose has been working like a demon all day, getting things ready, pureeing carrots and apples and making banana pudding. She even went to the store this morning and bought a crib for the twins, which I just finished putting together –no thanks to those useless instructions."

"She didn't need to do that," Leah bit her lip, letting out a huff as a shriek echoed in the house, several seconds passing before Gabe ran into the kitchen, his face set on a dark scowl as he looked up at his mother, "Emmie won't leave me alone!"

"What is she doing," Leah asked, crouching down to eye level, very familiar with these particular situations -Gabriel and Emerie did such a wonderful job of driving each other crazy...and her.

"She's staring at me," Gabe stomped his foot in agitation, "I told her to stop but she won't!"

"Honey," Leah tried to think of something to say but she couldn't figure out how to resolve this issue –she couldn't exactly scold Emmie for staring.

At that moment, Emmie skipped into the kitchen, stopping next to her older brother, blue eyes wide as she stared up at him.

"Stop it," Gabe fisted his little hands, his jaw tight as she kept at it, "Stop staring at me!"

"Emerie," Rick's quiet voice caught her attention, the little girl blinking as she looked up at her father with a sweet smile, her eyes twinkling, "Your brother doesn't want to play the staring game. You know he doesn't like it so please stop."

Pursing her lips, she looked at her brother then up at her father before turning to look at Seth, "Can you play staring with me, Uncle Seth?"

Seth gave her a big smile, "Sounds like fun. Hey, Tornado, go get your bike and meet us up front."

"We're sleeping at your house today," Gabe exclaimed, remembering his mother telling him about it last week.

Gabe ran out of the opened back door, Emmie heading towards him as Zaky toddled into the kitchen, his serious little face breaking into a smile at the sight of his uncle, "Unca Eth!"

"Hey, there, Zak," Seth laughed as the little boy moved across the kitchen, raising his little arms to be picked up.

"This should be interesting," Rick whispered into Leah's ear, laughing along with his wife as Seth set Zakery on his shoulders before looking down at Emmie, "Climb on up my foot and hold on tight, cutie pie."

Emmie giggled, her small feet planted firmly on Seth's left foot as she wrapped her small arms around his leg, little hands gripping tightly at his jeans.

"Now all I need is for someone to hand me the little terrors in the living room," Seth walked across the kitchen, Emmie giggling with every step as Leah and Rick followed behind him, "This should be an interesting night for us –I'm thinking with all these kids under one roof, Rose might get baby fever."

"Either that or she'll swear off having babies forever," Leah leaned into the playpen where Alyx and Andrey were happily –and noisily –playing with each other.

"Either one's fine with me," Seth wrapped his left arm around Andrey as soon as Leah handed him over, then took Alyx in his right arm, the yanking of his hair letting him know Zaky was holding on tight.

"Seth," Leah looked up at her soon to be two year old, her stomach flipping at the idea of him falling off Seth's shoulders, "Maybe I should help you –"

"No, no," Seth gave her a smile meant to reassure, "He's got a tight grip –besides, his feet are tucked securely under my arms. See?"

Leah bit her lip as she checked to be sure, letting out a breath before looking up at her boy, "Zaky, don't let go of your uncle's hair, okay baby?"

"'Kay, mama," Zaky nodded his head, that serious little look of his letting her know he understood what she was asking of him.

"I should have given you the duffel bag first," Leah shook her head as she looked around, finding the bag near the door, "Give me Alyx and I'll sling it over your shoulder."

"Uncle Seth," Gabe yelled from the front of the house, "Hurry up! Vivi's waiting!"

"Why do I have the feeling we'll be hearing that a lot in the future," Seth teased his sister, having learned from her his nephew's plans to marry his Ladybug, "Alright, all set. Hand Alyx over and we'll be ready to get out of your way."

Leah laughed as Seth headed to the front door, following behind him with her eyes on Zaky, making sure he was securely sitting on the broad shoulders, "Are you walking?"

"I'm just down a couple of streets and around the corner," Seth reminded her as she moved around him to open the front door just as Gabe yelled out again, "Uncle Seth! We need to go now!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Seth walked out of the house, giving his oldest nephew a look of fake exasperation, "Hold your horses, dude. She's gonna be there all night."

"Gabe, stay next to your uncle, okay," Leah leaned down to kiss his forehead, then kissed Emmie's cheek before straightening to give the twins and Zaky –the little boy leaned over his uncle's head so she could reach him –kisses as well, "You guys behave for your aunt and uncle, okay?"

"'Kay, mama," Zaky and Emmie said in unison, Andrey and Alyx simply giving her dimpled smiles that had her working hard not to laugh.

At ten months, those two were already well known to be trouble-makers.

It should be a fun night for her brother and his wife.

Rick wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back into him as they watched Seth heading down the sidewalk, Gabe pedaling his bicycle next to him, the well-used training wheels hardly touching the concrete, "What should we do first?"

Leah smiled as she tilted her head back to look into his blue eyes, "Let's take a nap…oh! Let's take a bath. I got new candles and in a few months, we won't be able too. Yes?"

Rick kissed her nose as he walked backwards into the house, pulling her along with him before reaching over her head to close the door, turning the lock as he turned her towards the bathroom, "I never turn down the chance to get you naked and wet."

Leah's laughter as they headed into the bathroom filled his heart to overflowing.

He was one hell of a lucky guy to have her –his best friend, his wife, his lover and the mother of his children.


	13. Chapter 11

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Another chapter lovies! I have completed chapter twelve and am working on chapter thirteen...I already have chapter fourteen in my head as well!  
**

**Gaby -love you darling! I dedicate this chapter, which has a bit of some sizzle between Paul and Rachel somewhere in the middle.  
**

**Ses -six!  
**

**All my other dear reviewers -some of you asked for a look-see into the other couples' lives -so I've started with Paul and Rachel.  
**

**Enjoy as you read, darlings, and please -REVIEW! I get great ideas when you review!  
**

**Chapter Eleven**

_October 31__st_

Rose leaned closer to the mirror, making sure the hair ties were even before picking up a brand new tube of lip gloss –bubblegum pink –the liquid gliding on slick and shiny.

Twisting it close, she tossed it back into her make-up box, giving her reflection a critical look-over before reaching up to undo another button.

The white cotton blouse she wore stretched tight across her breasts, the tails tied into a neat little knot in the middle of her flat stomach. Paired up with it was a short plaid skirt, the hem hitting high up on her thighs and now she just needed to add the suspenders, knee high socks and Mary Jane shoes to complete the whole ensemble.

Rose giggled to herself as she quickly glanced at the clock, clipping the suspenders in place. She only had a few minutes before Seth finished up what he was working on in the office.

He still had to come in here to get ready for the Halloween party at the reservation's community center and if Rachel was right in suggesting this costume would make him loose it, then they needed to get to it soon –she didn't want to be too late.

As she pulled up a sock, she gave mental thanks to Leah for picking up the twins along with Gabriel and taking them to her house –if fate was in a good mood today, then having kids in the house would not be a good thing…despite the soundproofing.

Another giggle escaped her as she slipped on the second sock, quickly putting on her shoes. She could hear him coming down the hall and if she didn't calm herself down, she was going to mess this whole thing up.

Seducing her husband was a learning experience, after all, and she wanted to excel at it.

* * *

Seth let out a yawn, tossing his pencil into the airplane cup as he stood up, stretching his arms over his head, looking at the time on his watch.

Ugh. He had thirty minutes to get ready for that damn rez party he'd agreed to chaperone for.

Too bad he hadn't gotten to Rose before mom, otherwise Leah would be watching over the twins along with her brood while he spent the entire night in bed with his wife.

His mother, still a part of the councils despite living in Forks with Charlie, was extremely involved in community activities hosted to foster familiarity and tribe pride among children and teenagers and she seemed adamant to drag him along for the ride.

Thanks to her –wonderful woman that she was –he was stuck watching kids hyped up on sugar stuffing their faces with even more sugar while at the same time, making sure none of the teenagers snuck off to smoke, drink or fornicate.

He chuckled to himself, turning the office lights off before making his way down the hall towards the master bedroom.

He just had to love his mother, especially when her anti-fun mode entertained him to no end…except for that time when he was sixteen and got caught with his hand up a girl's skirt.

His right ear had never been the same since that night –she had dragged him home by it all the while giving him a piece of her mind.

Laughing to himself at the memory, his breath stuttered before leaving him in a rush as he froze at the doorway to his bedroom.

Back when he was twelve, Britney Spears had released her first song –_Baby One More Time. _

The video had inspired his very first wet dream.

And now here he stood with his erotic teenage fantasy before him, one foot on a chair as she pulled up a white knee-high sock, black Mary Jane shoes on her feet.

Dropping her small foot to the carpeted floor, she smoothed her hands over the gray and blue plaid skirt before looking up at him with a sweet smile oozing innocence.

Looking into her bright hazel eyes, he saw something there that didn't help his current situation –was it horrible of him to want to fuck his wife right there, on their bedroom floor?

"What are you wearing?"

Rose's smile widened as she swayed her hips the way little girls do when they're wearing a skirt with ruffles, "It's my Halloween costume."

Seth's lips slowly spread into a smile as he let his eyes slowly travel down her body –damn, but that little skirt left ninety percent of her legs bare –it probably wasn't doing a very good job of covering her ass either, "What are you supposed to be?"

Rose stared at him as if he were dumb, "A schoolgirl."

Seth let out a chuckle, studying the delicate curve of her ankles before looking up at her face, "A Catholic schoolgirl?"

She bit her lip, crossing her ankles with hands linked behind her back as she tilted her head to the side, "I was baptized in a Catholic church so I guess that could work."

Man, but that woman knew how to get his libido going!

Rose's eyes widened, the seductive gleam morphing into shock as he started to laugh.

This wasn't the way it was supposed to be –he should be completely overtaken by lust, not laughing his fool head off!

"What's so funny?"

Seth could hear the anger in her voice –aside from the stomping of her cute little foot –but he couldn't stop himself, his words clear despite the deep laughter, "You thinking I'm going to let you out of the house wearing _that_."

Her lips tightened as she planted her fists on her hips, giving him a glare worth a shiver or two before striding across the room with a huff, "That is funny because I don't recall asking for your permission!"

Striding down the hall, she blinked away tears of humiliation, refusing to let it show as she swallowed back a sob.

How dare he laugh at her!

She made it to the end of the hallway before being spun around, everything turning upside down as her feet left the floor, a low grunt escaping her when he tossed her onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, "Seth! Put me down, you idiot!"

Seth didn't say anything, still laughing as he walked back to their bedroom, his arm securely wrapped around her thighs.

He easily ignored her small fists slamming into his back as well as her yelling –which wasn't hard being that he no longer understood a single word she was saying.

"_Sueltame, Seth! Hombre baboso! Pendejo! Bajame ahorita mismo!"__  
_

Stopping at the side of their bed, he dropped her on it, her pigtails flying around her face as she glared up at him.

"_Eres un estupido,_" she spat at him as she began to scoot off the bed but he moved over her, placing a knee on the bed, forcing her knees open, his hands on either side of her body as he leaned forward until their noses touched.

His breath was silky against her flushed skin, the dark look in his eyes causing her insides to quiver, "That, I am not baby. Only a stupid man would let his wife walk out of the house in violation of the four finger rule."

"Four –four finger rule," Rose's voice shook as the tip of his nose brushed against hers, her eyes growing wide when he slid his hand up between her thighs and under her skirt.

"Hm-hm," Seth moved his nose down her jaw as he splayed his fingers on the inside of her thigh, the tip of his index skimming against the crotch of her panties, "If it takes four fingers to get from the hem of your skirt to here…it's too short."

Rose's breath hitched then came out in a gasp as Seth moved his hand up her thigh to cup her before slipping his fingers under the elastic of the crotch of her cotton panties.

"Then there's the tongue rule," Seth murmured as he trailed kisses down her throat to her chest, "You're in violation of that one too."

"What –what tongue rule?"

Seth moved his mouth down to her impressive cleavage –that little blouse of hers left a lot of it in view –"If all I have to do is stick my tongue out…to get to your nipple…that's too much cleavage."

Rose moaned as he did just that, her shaking arms giving out on her as she fell back onto the mattress, Seth's mouth never leaving her breast.

"Seth…" she took a shuddering breath that rushed out as his fingers moved over her slick folds, the tip of one flicking over her clit, razor sharp pleasure streaking through her body.

"And the number one reason you're not wearing this to the party," he whispered against her throat as he used a single finger to pull down her bra cup, his thumb brushing over her hard nipple as soon as he freed her breast, "Is because I'll know exactly what other guys are thinking, seeing you in this little get-up."

"I –I didn't do it to –to," Rose swallowed hard as her hips moved involuntarily, a whimper escaping her as he used the tip of another finger to slowly circle the opening to her body, "To make…make anyone…think any –oh!"

Seth tugged at her earlobe with his teeth as he sank two fingers knuckled deep into her, "Oh yes you did, baby. Maybe not anyone else but you definitely wanted _me_ thinking of this."

Rose let out a groan as he moved his hand from between her legs, a squeak escaping her as he rolled onto his back, pulling her over him until she lay on top, her legs straddling his hips.

Sliding his hands down her back, he gave her bottom a squeeze before sliding a hand under her skirt, his mouth moving over her jaw and down her neck, "You're such a naughty girl, Rosita."

Rose let out a sound between a moan and a squeal as heat bloomed over her bottom where his large hand landed.

"And naughty girls should get spanked," Seth whispered as he tugged at her bottom lip with his teeth, her fingers digging into his chest as he slapped her bottom again, "Don't you agree?"

"I –I…" Rose's face flushed as she looked away from his dark eyes, biting her lip when he spanked her again, the stinging pain bleeding into a pleasurable hum that had her tilting her hips forward to press herself against his restrained erection, the denim fabric of his jeans feeling rough yet exciting against her tender flesh.

For the first time since she had hatched this plan of hers, she wondered if she had bitten off more than she could chew –metaphorically speaking.

"Rosie," Seth whispered into her ear, his tongue flicking into the hollow, a shiver running down her back as she shyly whispered, "Am I supposed to like it?"

Seth could hear the confusion in her words as he gently blew into her ear before kissing her temple, "You should like everything I do to you but if you don't, you tell me."

She nodded shyly, sucking on her bottom lip before giving him a sweet smile, her hazel eyes bright with desire as he moved his hands down the back of her thighs, giving them a squeeze before flipping her onto her back.

Rolling on top of her, he covered her mouth with his, tongues stroking as he undid the buttons of her shirt one-handed, his other hand under her skirt tugging at her panties.

"We're going to be late," she whispered against his lips, her hands tugging at his t-shirt.

"I'm sure they'll understand," Seth nipped her bottom lip, his teeth scraping her chin before moving his mouth down her throat, "One of the girls helped you out with this, uh? Probably Rachel."

Rose giggled, his breath against the soft skin of her breasts making her shiver before he latched on to the exposed nipple, her back arching as he sucked hard before gently biting down, "Seth! _Hay Dios!_"

Gently kissing the slope of her breast, he pulled back to look down at her, finding her so fucking sexy with her shirt opened, the simple white bra she wore covering one breast, the suspenders still in place.

With one finger, he pulled down the other bra cup, lowering his head down to lick the newly exposed nipple, tugging at it with his teeth as he pressed his hips into her.

"_Por favor,_" she sobbed softly, her back arching as he continued to torture her, unable to move her hips due to his weight pressing her into the mattress, "Seth…please."

Giving her nipple a last hard suck, he pulled back to look into her eyes, kissing the tip of her nose before moving his lips across her cheek to her ear, "Turn around."

Rose's eyes widened at his request, her breath hitching as he pulled back to look into her dilated eyes, dark pools of desire, "What?"

"Be a good girl, Rosie," he gave her a grin that would have her clenching her thighs together if he weren't kneeling between them, "Do as you're told and turn around."

The reassurance she felt at the unbridled desire in his eyes helped her move onto her stomach, his hands on her hips pulling her back until she was on her knees.

"Seth…"

"It's okay, baby," Seth leaned forward, his chest pressing against her back as he whispered into her ear, "I know this is new but I promise you'll like it."

A flush swept up her chest to stain her cheeks as she felt him –hard and unyielding –against her bottom.

He kissed the back of her neck as he slid his hands over her bottom, easily flipping the short skirt before dragging the white cotton panties down her thighs, "You have such a sexy ass, baby. You have no idea how much it turns me on…especially with these innocent looking panties of yours covering it."

Rose's breathing was so embarrassingly loud she almost missed the sound of a zipper being lowered, a soft scream passing through her lips as she felt him slide against her slick folds before thrusting into her.

Breathing hard as she gripped the edge of the mattress, she bit her lip as she worked on assimilating herself to this new position –she felt so unbelievably full, her inner muscles rippling tightly around him.

"Fuck," Seth groaned as he leaned over her, his fingers digging into her hips as he whispered into her ear, his breathing harsh with barely controlled desire, "You need to loosen up, baby, before you make me come."

Rose groaned, lowering her forehead into the mattress as she tried to relax.

Breathing shallowly, she slowly lowered her upper body onto the mattress, inadvertently tilting her hips higher which just had him slide in deeper.

The overwhelming sensations rushing through her pushed a moan out of her as her breaths came out in heavy pants.

Screwing his eyes shut as he rested his forehead between her shoulder blades, Seth fought with his body's needs, slowly but surely pushing back his impending orgasm –he wasn't ready to come yet…not until she came apart first.

Reciting the states backwards in alphabetical order helped him slowly gain control, a deep breath clearing his mind of the animalistic urge to claim her as his.

Breathing in deep once more, he opened his eyes as he straightened back before looking down.

A groan deep in his chest made its way up and out of his mouth at the sight of his cock disappearing into her body, breathing hard as he looked away, leaning over her again.

Running his fingers through her long hair until he reached the ends, he slowly wrapped the pigtails around his hands, over and over, softly whispering into her ear, "Now, these, I like."

Straightening up, her neck and back arched, ass pushing against him as he said with a dark teasing tone, "These you can keep."

Rose's moans came unbidden, growing in volume as he thrust into her, again and again, her fingers digging into the mattress as her entire body tightened, her breathing harsh as the fire low in her belly kept building, higher and higher until it reached its flash point.

She screamed out his name, completely lost in the pleasure of her orgasm as Seth slammed into her –twice, three times before exploding, emptying himself inside her as he joined her on the trip to the outer-space of their universe.

Breathing hard, Rose slowly blinked her eyes open, unsure of where or who she was, her cheek pressed against the mattress, Seth's weight over her giving her the anchor she needed to find her way back to earth.

His face was buried into her neck, breathing in the scent of them that clung to her. The intoxicating mixture of cherry blossoms and sea-salt calmed him soul and body.

Letting go of her pigtails, he rolled on his back as he stared up at the ceiling, his lungs still fighting to drag in oxygen.

Moving to rest her cheek on his bicep, she smiled as he turned to look at her, "That was…amazing."

Seth grinned as he moved the few inches to press his lips against her forehead, "Yeah…you got something else to wear to the party, right?"

Rose giggled as she moved her hand to rest on his chest, feeling his racing heart against her fingers, "We all agreed to wear this."

"Mhm," Rose was able to feel Seth's smile against her forehead along with his words, "I can tell you right now none of you will be wearing this –not even Rachel."

"How can you be so sure," Rose tilted her head back to look into his eyes, a soft tenderness purling in her heart as he brushed the tip of his nose over the delicate slope of her eyebrow.

"Because we all know mom will kill us if we start punching guys in the face."

Laughing, she pushed herself up to look down into his eyes, dropping a kiss on his lips before she said with a smile, "Good thing Rachel advised me to get a second costume."

Seth laughed as he reached up to run his fingers through one of her pigtails, "Tell me you're dressing up as a nun."

She shook her head with a smile, "A hippie…with bell bottom jeans, tie-died shirt and a fringed vest."

"Well," Seth lifted his head to kiss her lips as he tugged at her pigtail, "That means you can keep these."

Rose laughed, pushing herself to a sitting position, her face flushing as she straightened her bra, feeling his lips on the back of her neck before he whispered into her ear, her face flushing a deeper red, "You got me so damn hot I didn't even take the time to fully remove your panties or my pants."

Looking at him, her eyes sparkled as a beautifully satisfied smile spread across her face, "Mission accomplished."

* * *

_Second Week of November_

"Leah's pregnant again."

Paul spit out his beer, looking up at his Alpha in surprise as he wiped a hand over his mouth, "Seriously? Those two are solely responsible for the population boom of La Push."

Sam laughed as he flipped the burgers on the grill, "If we weren't good friends, I would think Rick's working on having a bigger pack than mine."

"You can't blame the guy," Paul stretched out his legs –he was sitting on a lawn chair a few feet away from the grill –draining his beer can before giving Sam a grin, "We all know its Leah's plan to outnumber you."

Sam laughed, easily catching the beer can Paul tossed him from the cooler, "She's gonna make it hard for you and Rachel to catch up."

Paul groaned as he popped open a new can, "Yeah, that and the fact Rach's adamant on waiting."

"Seriously?"

"Don't look at me like that," Paul growled as he took a swallow of his beer, "I know for a fact she's not on the pill and with the way we go at it –who knows? Maybe my guys aren't up to the task."

Sam tried to hide his grimace from his best friend but failed as Paul scowled at him, "Yeah, thanks to Jacob imprinting on a vamp, the whole assurance of passing genes isn't all that assuring."

"Well," Sam took a swallow of his beer, keeping his eyes on the burgers, "There're tests for that."

"Fucking great," Paul's words came out in a growl, his eyes narrowing as his wife walked out of the house, holding a pan in her hands.

"Emily says this is the last of the patties."

Handing the pan to Sam, she turned to look at Paul, her smile fading, "Baby, what's wrong?"

He set his beer on top of the cooler, standing up and grabbing her hand, "We need to talk."

Rachel's eyes widened as he pulled her towards the house but instead of going inside, he moved around the side towards the back.

Turning around, he pushed her up against the side of the house, his mouth closing over hers as he slid his hands over her hips to grip her waist.

Rachel moaned, fisting her hands on his t-shirt as she rose up on her toes, shivers running down her back as he slid a hand under her shirt, his fingers splayed against the soft skin of her back.

She gasped as he broke the kiss, looking into his dark eyes for a few seconds before he dipped his head to kiss her throat, his tongue touching the hollow between her collarbones eliciting a soft moan.

"Paul," Rachel ran her fingers through his hair, eyes closed as she sank into the buzzing sensations his mouth on her was stirring up inside her, "What's going on?"

Paul's hands moved up her back, his thumb dragging up hard against her ribs, the giggles that escaped her making him smile against the underside of her jaw, "We should start having babies."

Rachel's body went tense in his arms as she pulled back to look into his eyes, "Paul, you can't just…push me up against the house, paw me and then ask for a baby."

One of Paul's eyebrows arched as he stared down into her near-black eyes, "I believe I just did."

She didn't say anything, just looked into his eyes, her heart squeezing painfully as he quietly asked, "Do you not want to have babies with me, Rachel?"

"What," Rachel gaped at him, blinking fast to keep herself from crying as she reached up to grip the back of his neck, "Of course I do, baby. I just…you need to give me a little more time to get my practice on track."

"You've been at the hospital for a year," Paul reached up to run his fingers through his hair, agitation evident in his voice, "How much time does it take for a therapist to get a working patient list?"

Rachel wasn't sure what to say because he was right –it had taken her six months to get established at Forks Memorial and another six to create connections with other physicians –

"Is it me," Paul's question broke through her thoughts as he looked down at her, his eyes expressing a wealth of uncertainty and pain, "Do you think I'm too immature to be a father? 'Cause I'll work on it, baby, I really will."

"No," she shook her head, wrapping her arms around his neck as she rose up on her toes to kiss his mouth, "You're going to be an amazing father, Paul. There's nothing about you that I would want to change."

His forehead rested against hers as they stared into each others' eyes, one minute bleeding into the next before he softly whispered, "You're not on the pill."

"What?"

Paul felt a little guilty about revealing his inner thoughts on trying to get her 'accidentally' pregnant, "We've been…I haven't used a condom a few of the times we…shouldn't you be…"

Rachel bit her lip, a wave of guilt crashing over her, making both of them gasp with the intensity of it as he looked into her eyes, able to feel the pulsating emotion roiling through her, "What? Is it me, Rach? Maybe something's wrong with my –"

"No," Rachel shook her head, dropping her eyes to his chest, trying to think of how to tell him before she took a deep breath to just say it however the hell it came out, "A few months before I came home –before we imprinted –I asked my doctor to put in an IUD."

Paul's eyebrows lowered over his dark eyes as he stared down at her, "What the hell is that?"

"An intrauterine device," Rachel couldn't look at him, her eyes locked on his throat as she silently counted the visible pulse there, "It's a form of birth control that lasts between five to ten years."

"What the fuck," Paul stepped back, running both hands through his hair as she dropped her hands from his shoulders, her face flushed, eyes still not looking at him, "Why didn't you tell me this before? We've been married for two years –together for five –damn it, Rachel! Look at me!"

"I'm sorry," Rachel let out a soft sob, her dark eyes bright as she fought back tears, "I didn't think of saying anything because I had it put in before you and I…it wasn't my intention to keep it a secret, Paul. It just never popped into my mind, especially when you agreed to wait on having kids."

"All this time, I thought it was me," Paul rubbed the back of his neck, his jaw tight as he closed his eyes, "I thought maybe I was doing something wrong…or that something was wrong with me."

"I'm sorry," Rachel reached out to touch him, gasping when he pulled her into his arms, "I didn't mean to make you feel that way –I do want babies with you, Paul –I really do. Just give me a little more time…please?"

"When?"

"What," Rachel looked up into his eyes, seeing a hint of excitement mixed in with the pain, betrayal and uncertainty, feeling horrible because she was to blame for them, "What do you mean when?"

"I don't mind waiting, Rach," Paul said as he tightened his arms around her, keeping their bodies flush against each other, "I just want to know how long."

Looking deep into his eyes, she could see something in them that called out to her.

Breathing in deep to keep herself from freaking out, she watched as her future slowly unfolded within his eyes –a future filled with love, laughter, and beautiful children…he really would be an amazing father to their children.

"January," Rachel reached up to touch her fingers to his lips, "Give me until January –I'll have it removed and we can start making babies then."

It was like watching the sun break over the horizon –the joy on his face was so acute she couldn't look away, an answering smile spreading over her face.

"Alright then," Paul lowered his head until their foreheads touched, "I guess a few practice runs until then will keep us in shape. Hell, maybe if we practice often enough, we can get it right the first time around."

Rachel's laughter choked up as a hand squeezed her bottom, her eyes growing wide as she slapped his chest, "Paul, behave yourself! There're children around."

Paul looked towards the backyard before leaning back to get a clear view of the front yard –the kids were currently crowding around Sam's legs holding paper plates in their small hands.

Turning to give her a smile, he slowly kissed her mouth, "They're currently occupied with the task of filling their stomachs. That should give us five…maybe ten minutes."

"For what," Rachel's voice squeaked, her throat closing when he turned her around, her hands reaching out to steady herself against the side of the house, "Paul…"

"Relax, baby," Paul moved his mouth from her ear down the side of her neck, his hands on her stomach pulling her back against him so she could feel him hard against her bottom, "Just let go…enjoy it."

Rachel's breath hitched then sped up as he slid his fingers past the waistband of her jeans, his thumb dipping into her bellybutton.

Paul dragged his teeth over the skin of her shoulder, his hand slipping further into her jeans and panties, the other one keeping a tight grip at her hip as he whispered against her hot, wet skin, "We both know I'm a pain in the ass and so are you –but this…baby, you and I, together –we can make dreams come true. I love you so damn much sometimes it's painful not to be able to scream it out or find grand ways to show you how much I fucking adore you."

Rachel tried to remember to breathe but it was difficult, what with his hand buried deep into her pants, his fingers doing _that_ thing that made her brain cease functioning while his words sent her heart into a gallop.

"Having a baby with you, Rach…" Paul pressed his cheek against hers, sliding his free hand around to cover her lower stomach, his thumb rubbing small circles against the soft skin exposed between her jeans and top, "It would be the physical manifestation of my love for you…and your love for me…and when we hold him –God, Rachel, you'll never doubt I love you when our baby looks at you with the same adoration I have for you."

Just listening to him made her ache deep inside as the realization she wanted to share this part of life with him filled her.

First thing tomorrow morning, she was going to call her gynecologist and make an appointment to get that damn thing removed.

A moan of surprise escaped her as he slid two fingers into her, his other hand gently squeezing her breast, the myriad of sensations having her panting as her nails dragged against the wood paneling of the sea-side house, "Please…Paul…"

"You're close to coming," he whispered into her ear, the phrase not a question but an observation –he knew her body so well that at times it didn't take much to get her going.

A touch, a word, sometimes even a sideways look with that smile of his had her wetting her panties in desire, "Yes…oh, God, Paul, I...I'm –what! What are you doing? Why are you stopping?"

Paul smiled as she looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes wide and filled with lust as he sucked her honeyed taste off his fingers, "You'll be much more eager tonight if I leave you hot and bothered."

"You can't…" Rachel's face flushed as she tried to step back but his muscled arm flexed around her, easily keeping her in place against him, "The others will know."

Paul's lips hitched into that heart-stopping, panty-dropping smile of his, "Now _that_ seriously turns _me_ on…them knowing how hot you are for me."

Rachel wasn't sure whether to slap him for his audacious arrogance or to laugh but after a few seconds of staring into his dancing eyes, she finally let out a soft chuckle as she turned around to press her body against his, reaching down to cup her hand over his jean-clad erection, "Two can play this game, you know."

"You greedy bitch," he whispered teasingly as he tilted her chin up, his mouth moving over hers, tongues stroking against each other before he pulled back to give her a smirk, "I advise you start thinking of calling in sick tomorrow."

Rachel's eyebrows lowered in confusion as she dragged her thumb down his zipper –hard, "Why?"

Paul was about ready to just take her up against the side of Sam's house, right then and there, but patience he didn't know he possessed washed over him as he reached down to capture her hand in his, bringing it up to place a kiss on each finger.

"I have no intention of letting you sleep tonight."

* * *

_Saturday before third week of November_

"Oh no, oh no, oh no!"

Seth placed the lid back on the simmering pot of chicken noodle soup, checking the flame under it before heading into the living room.

Stopping to lean against the archway, he watched Vivi gnawing at her bottom lip as she reached up to ruthlessly tug at one of her curls, her eyes trained on the large poster board on the coffee table surrounded by crayons, scissors, markers, and glue sticks.

"What's wrong, Ladybug," Seth pushed away from the wall, deciding it necessary to intervene before she chewed off her lip or pulled out her pretty hair.

Looking up at him, her gold-brown eyes showed frustration as she pointed an accusing finger at the poster board in the middle of the coffee table, "It's crooked!"

He looked down at the letters she had painstakingly drawn, each one the same height centered at the top of the white poster, "It looks straight to me."

Vivi huffed in frustration, the muffled sound of her foot stomping against the cream colored rug making him smile, "That's because your head is on a slant."

"Oh," Seth swallowed back laughter, able to see this was very important to her –why, he didn't know but he wasn't going to hurt her tender feelings.

Throwing his shoulders back, he held his head straight, realizing how strange it was to actually think about holding his head straight, "How's that? Is my head on straight now?"

Dear God, this little girl was going to have him rolling on the floor –she was actually studying his head, visually measuring the distance between his shoulders and ears.

He could only hope he didn't have one ear lower than the other as it was supposedly expected of all people or she was going to point it out.

"It's straight," Vivi turned her attention back to the poster, her little face looking decidedly displeased, "Now you'll be able to tell it's crooked."

"Not by much," Seth got down on one knee, resting his forearm on his thigh as he fought hard to keep a serious expression –her little sigh of disappointment wasn't helping, "What's this project for?"

"Show and tell," Vivi turned her big golden eyes to him as her little face lit up with excitement, "I'm going to show everyone in my class where I was born and then tell them about how wonderful Spain is."

The corner of Seth's mouth tipped into a smile as he looked back at the poster, amazed at the careful detail she had put into it.

Along the top, in the center, she had written Spain in block letters.

In the middle was a carefully drawn map of Spain, colored in greens and browns and grays with a big purple star in the middle, pink words spelling out Salamanca below it.

On the left hand side, a perfectly drawn rectangle colored in red with a coat of arms in the middle –the Spanish flag.

On the other side, a list of stuff about Spain under the title '_FACTS.'_

"This is…very…" Seth wasn't sure how to say it –hell, this was the kind of the thing he would have managed to put together in high school, "I took a fishing poll to my second grade show and tell."

Vivi stared at him before solemnly saying, "I don't fish."

Seth let a chuckle escape him before he looked into her eyes, "What about your ballet shoes? You can take those."

"Everyone knows I do ballet," she stated rather primly, her rosebud mouth pursed as she locked her hands behind her back.

"Why don't you take Emmett," Seth gave her a big grin, thinking to himself what a brilliant idea that was; "Your friends would love to meet a teddy bear that wrestles nightmares _and_ keeps sad feelings away."

"I can't take Emmett," Vivi said in sincere shock at his suggestion, "Who'll wrestle the nightmares away from my pillow while he's at school with me?"

"Oh," Seth smacked his forehead in a show of accepting his stupidity, "Right. I didn't think of that."

"I was going to take Einstein," Vivi turned to look sadly at her poster, "But he's not my dog and I think Marc's gonna take him for his third grade show and tell."

"Mhm," Seth turned to look at the poster, studying it quietly before saying, "No one will know that the 'S' is a little crooked."

"I'll know," Vivi muttered mournfully and Seth knew at that moment he had an over-achieving little girl on his hands –boy, high school was going to be loads of fun.

"We can fix it."

"How," Vivi asked in obvious disbelief as she looked up at him, "I already traced all the letters with a marker. You can't erase marker –that's why it says permanent on the side."

"You used my Sharpie," Seth exclaimed as he grabbed the black marker from the coffee table, "Vivi, you can't use these…these markers are for grown-ups."

"It smells funny," Vivi rubbed a small fist under her nose, rubbing the toe of her pink and silver sneaker against the rug, "And it made my head hurt."

"That's why you shouldn't use these," Seth tucked the Sharpie into the back pocket of his jeans, "You can use your markers –I even bought you the ones that smell fruity. Where are they?"

Vivi bit her bottom lip as she looked down at the rug, suddenly very intrigued with the silver laces of her shoes.

"Vivi."

"I buried them."

Seth's eyebrows lowered over his eyes as he asked with surprise, "Why would you do that?"

"Emmie thought because they smelled like fruit they would grow into fruit trees so we buried them in the flower bed beside the doll house," Vivi looked up at him through her eyelashes, "I couldn't tell her that she needed seeds to grow fruit trees…she was too excited about the markers."

Seth lowered his head as he laughed, "Is that why she dumps Einstein's water bowl in the flower bed every time she's over here?"

"Uh-hu," Vivi nodded, a dimple appearing on her right cheek as she smiled at him, "She checks on the markers every time –I told her we'll have to wait until spring for them to start growing into trees."

"Oh boy," Seth shook his head, running his fingers through his hair as he grinned at his niece, "We'll figure out how to get out of _that_ mess later. For now, I've got an idea on how to fix your letters."

"How?"

"Glitter glue," Seth stood up, swinging her off the floor at the same time, her giggles making him smile as he made his way towards the front door, "It can fix anything."

Seth's laughter came from deep inside, the amusement of her response having completely overtaken him.

"I thought that was duct tape."


	14. Chapter 12

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Another chapter so soon!? Did I not tell you that I had it ready? I am a few sentences away from completing chapter thirteen and will soon put down my wonderful ideas for the fourth chapter.  
**

**Gaby -lovely friend, I dedicate every chapter to you...every chapter lovey because you are always so supportive and excited about my story ideas along with giving me some wonderful ideas to work with.  
**

**Ses -seven!  
**

**Chelsea, Gianna, Lette, Moani, guests and all others -I love receiving your reviews, whether short or long, and would like more reviews...must I beg? 'Cause if I must, I will.  
**

**As always, y'all enjoy this chapter as you read it and please, please, pleeeaaaaseee review. How was that for begging?  
**

**Chapter Twelve  
**_Monday, Third Week of November_

Rachyl Brizza loved being a second grade teacher and although this was her first year teaching right out of college, she felt like she was doing a pretty good job of it.

She watched with a smile as Missy –a little blond with blue eyes and a missing front tooth –sat down on the sharing rug, the rabbit she had brought for show and tell uncomfortably snuggled into her lap –at least she thought the poor thing looked uncomfortable, if that were possible.

"Great job, Missy," she applauded the little girl along with her other students before looking towards the middle of the rug where her one gifted student wiggled in place, her big eyes never wavering as she stared her way.

Vivian de Lune was one of those children that seemed to pick up everything on the first try.

Not only that, but the little girl was a perfectionist in everything she did and Rachyl had started wondering if it would be best for the little girl's learning capabilities to be advanced a grade or two –she had yet to mention this thought to the principal or her aunt but she truly believed it would be a good step on the child's behalf.

"Okay," she smiled as Vivi continued to wiggle in barely contained excitement, "Whose next?"

She wasn't surprised to see her little hand shoot up in the air, her face eager as she tried to make herself seen by stretching as tall as she could without getting up off the rug, "Me, Miss Brizza! Pick me!"

Laughing, she pointed at Vivi with a smile, "Okay, Vivi, go ahead."

She hopped up to her feet, picking up a poster board she had brought with her for show and tell, her little face bright as she moved to stand in front of her classmates, holding the poster board in front of her, "This is Spain –it's where I was born. Spain is very pretty with beaches and islands and it's always warm there. It has a king and a queen and there are lots of pretty places to visit."

She let go of one side of the poster, pointing at the pictures as her other hand held tight to the other side, trying to keep it from slanting, "This is the flag and here's Salamanca –it's the city I was born in."

Rachyl stared at the poster in amazement –aside from the glitter glue surrounding all the big letters, the board was well beyond the capabilities of a child Vivi's age so she either had help with it or she had a little genius in her hands…although children of high intelligence weren't known to have such fine motor skill abilities.

"Salamanca has lots of old buildings that look like castles –there's a university and lots of churches and museums and palaces too!"

Vivi looked towards her, eyes bright as she turned her big smile back to her classmates.

Rachyl looked over at her students as she prompted them, "Do any of you have a question?"

A hand towards the back of the room shot up in the air, Rachyl pointing at Meaghan, "Go ahead, Meg. Ask your question."

"Does it rain in Spain," Meaghan asked, giggling along with three little girls sitting around her –Rachyl secretly called them the Titter Gang due to their endless giggles.

Vivi shook her head as she pointed to a list of things under a glittery title of facts, "It only rains six or seven days out of the whole year and it never snows."

Another little hand shot up and Rachyl tried not to grimace as she pointed at Robbie –that boy seemed to like picking on anyone and she wasn't sure this was going to be any different.

"If Spain is so great, then why are you here?"

Vivi's smile slowly dimmed, her gold-brown eyes losing some of their sparkle as she looked down at her pink and white sneakers, rubbing her toe against the edge of the rug, "We're here because Tia Rosa had to come here to meet Tio Seth."

Robbie wrinkled his nose as he rocked forward before sitting back on his heels, "Are your parents still in Spain?"

Rachyl felt a lump in her throat as Vivi looked up, her big eyes bright with tears as she softly answered, "Mama and papa died before we came here."

Robbie reached up to scratch his ear before asking, "Did you do that poster alone?"

Rachyl knew she needed to put a stop to this and she was about to do just that when another little boy –Ray Garrison and friend to Robbie –muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, "What a nerd."

Gabriel Laskaris –oh, little Gabe always coming to Vivi's rescue –turned blue eyes towards Ray with a scowl on his face, "Take that back."

"Na-ah," Ray shook his head, his face set in a mutinous expression, "She thinks she's smarter than everyone else and that's a nerd so she's a nerd."

Rachyl should have seen it coming –she was quite familiar with Gabe's temper when it came to the way others treated Vivi –but it still surprised her when the hefty six year old threw himself across the rug, the two little girls sitting between him and Ray scrambling away with shrill screams as Gabe and Ray rolled around, little fists flying.

"Stop it," Rachyl stood up, making sure not to step on little hands as she made her way to the two little boys, "Ray! Gabriel! Stop it right now!"

Neither one listened to her, loud grunts coming from them as they rolled closer to where Vivi stood and Rachyl watched in utter horror as the little girl reached down to grab the back of Gabe's t-shirt.

"Gabriel! Stop it," Vivi yelled at him, stumbling back as a little fist connected with her face, falling over someone's foot to land on her bottom with a small cry.

Finally reaching the boys, she pulled them apart, wincing when one of their kicking feet connected with her shin.

She was so focused on getting them to calm down she completely missed the look of horror on Vivi's eyes as she stared down at her small fingers smeared with blood from her lip, her breathing coming fast and harsh as her small body began to tremble.

"You two are going to stay in during recess," Rachyl guided them off the sharing rug, towing Ray to his desk before leading Gabriel towards his seat several rows away, "And I'm calling your parents –that is no way to resolve any issues."

"Miss Brizza!"

"Yes, Meaghan," she answered the high pitched voice, not looking towards the rug as she sat Gabriel down, his blue eyes iced over as he glared at Ray.

"Vivi isn't breathing!"

Turning quickly, Rachyl felt something close to panic as she ran towards the little girl, getting down on her knees to reach out and touch her small cheek, "Vivi, honey, take a deep breath for me."

Vivi shook her head, her lips turning blue as she kept staring at the blood on her shaking hands.

Picking her up, she felt a flood of relief wash over her as Oscar, the fourth grade teacher next door, leaned into her room, "What's going on in here?"

"Can you please keep an eye on my kids," she asked as she quickly moved across the room towards the door, "I need to take Vivian to the nurse."

She didn't wait for Oscar's agreement, simply ran down the hallway towards the nurse's office.

This had to be the worst show and tell in the history of show and tell.

* * *

Gabe was angry –very angry.

He wished, for the first time ever, that he could turn into a wolf whenever –like Uncle Seth –and hurt Ray.

Stupid boy had made Vivi cry and even worst, it was his fault Vivi had had to go to the nurse.

Looking down at his small fisted hands, he rubbed a thumb over his knuckles, his stomach feeling sick at the little red cut shaped like a half-moon.

Looking over at Vivi –she sat two seats down and one row away –he watched as she quietly colored a picture in one of Miss Brizza's coloring books.

Tapping his finger against his desk, he watched as she ducked her head lower in response but didn't look back at him the way she usually did.

She hadn't looked at him since the nurse had brought her back, her hands clean and her cut lip shiny with Nes-porin –mama used it whenever one of them got a scraped knee or something.

Clenching his fists on the desk top, he turned to glare at Ray, the only sound in the silent room the ticking clock as Miss Brizza sat at her desk.

School had ended ten minutes ago so they were still there, waiting for their parents to show up.

Gabe knew he was in big trouble but that didn't stop him from wishing he had hit Ray just a little harder –Vivi wasn't talking to _him_ when Ray had been the one to be mean to her –how was that fair?

A soft knock at the door had all of them looking over their shoulders, Ray wilting in relief as seven year old Marc walked in.

"Can I help you," Miss Brizza smiled at the brown-eyed boy, watching the way his face darkened as soon as he caught sight of Vivi's face.

"What happened," Marc asked as he moved to stand next to Vivi, reaching out to gently touch her swollen lip.

Vivi shook her head, not saying anything as she looked down at the coloring book, a tear splashing onto the pink flower she had just filled in.

Gabe kept his eyes on the desk, his left hand covering the right one –he didn't want Marc to see the cut on his knuckles.

"Excuse me," Miss Brizza stood up and moved around her desk, setting her pencil over the papers she had been writing on, "But who are you?"

"I'm Vivi's older brother," he looked up at her, politely holding out his small hand, "Marc de Lune."

Gabe saw the surprise on Miss Brizza's face as she shook the small hand offered to her, looking down at his hands again when Marc asked in a serious tone, "Who hurt my sister?"

"I'm not sure," Miss Brizza looked over at Gabe then Ray before turning to look down into Marc's dark eyes, "We had a bit of a problem –"

"He called Vivi a nerd," Gabe pointed an accusing finger at Ray, the other little boy cringing as Marc turned to look at him, his eyes flat before he looked at Vivi.

"They thought my poster was stupid," Vivi whispered as she rubbed a small fist under her nose –Gabe knew it was red from crying because he could hear the tears in her voice as she spoke to Marc without looking at him, "And that I think I'm smarter than them."

Marc let out a sigh, reaching out to tug Vivi's chin out of her chest so he could look into her eyes, "_Si lo eres, Viviana, y tu lo sabes. Somos diferentes a los demas y eso siempre les va a molestar."_ ***You are, Viviana, and you know it. We're different from everyone else and that's always going to bother them***

Vivi reached up to tug at his hand, a tear dribbling off her chin to land on the sleeve of his black jacket, "_Yo no quiero ser diferente, Marcos. Quiero ser como los demas." _***I don't want to be different, Marcos. I want to be like everyone else.***

Marc smiled at his sister, turning his hand to squeeze hers, "You're too special for that."

Everyone's heads turned as the door opened, Gabe watching with sinking fear as Zaky toddled in, his little hand held by Emmie, her big blue eyes looking everywhere as mama followed behind with the twins in the stroller –he was in trouble now.

"Miss Brizza," she parked the stroller next to the bookcase, setting the break with her foot as Emmie let go of Zaky's hand, heading straight towards the books while Zaky toddled over to the big fish tank by the teacher's desk, "I'm Leah Laskaris. I'm so sorry it took me this long to get here –it's a little difficult to leave in a rush with this many kids in tow."

Gabe watched as Miss Brizza smiled at his mama, risking a peak up at her before dropping his eyes to his desk –mama was not happy.

"I got your phone call," mama moved to rest her hand on Marc's shoulder before crouching down to look at Vivi, the purple shirt she wore stretching over the new baby belly, "Are you okay, honey?"

Vivi nodded with a sniff, wiping the back of her hand over her cheek as mama leaned in to give her a kiss and Gabe knew she had to be feeling better 'cause mama's kisses always made everything better.

"What exactly happened," mama asked as she straightened up, her pretty eyes on him as Miss Brizza opened her mouth, but Gabe spoke up first, his little finger pointing across the classroom, "Ray called Vivi a nerd."

"I didn't ask you, Gabriel," she softly reprimanded him, keeping her eyes on him as he lowered his hand onto his desk, covering the tell-tale cut on his knuckles as he sat there quietly while Miss Brizza explained.

"We had a bit of an altercation during show and tell. Apparently, Ray felt it necessary to call Vivi a name," she turned to give the boy in question a stern look, "Which will not be happening again. Gabe felt the need to come to Vivi's defense –with his fist. Before I could pull them apart, Vivi stepped in. As you can see, she got a split lip and had a bit of a panic attack. I took her to the nurse who cleaned her up and brought her back after recess. The boys didn't have their recess either and I've called Ray's mother as well."

Mama nodded, never having looked away from him and Gabe just knew this wasn't going to be good –not at all.

Letting out a slow breath, she took one of the chairs from the desk next to him, sitting down to look into his eyes.

Gabe couldn't keep looking at her, feeling so bad that she wasn't happy with him, rubbing a finger against the surface of the desk, keeping his hand over the other one.

"Gabriel," mama's voice was soft and low, "Look at me."

Swallowing back the knot of tears in his throat –he wasn't going to cry in front of Marc and that stupid boy –he looked into her eyes, sniffing back a sob as she stared at him.

"We're going home," mama kept her voice soft but he could still hear the sadness behind it –and that hurt more than if she were mad at him, "And you're going straight to your room and staying there until your father comes home from work."

"But mama –"

"Don't interrupt," she raised an eyebrow at him and he closed his mouth, holding his bottom lip between his teeth, "I've told you, time and again, this is unacceptable behavior. I understand you were standing up for Vivi but fighting is not the way to do that."

"I'm sorry," Gabe whispered as he dropped his eyes down to his hands, sniffing as mama reached out to touch his face, "I'm not the one you need to apologize too."

Tightening his jaw, he took a deep breath before turning to look at Ray, "I'm sorry I hit you."

Ray scuffed his toe against the linoleum floor, giving him a nod before looking over at Vivi, "I'm sorry I called you a nerd."

Vivi looked at him for a few seconds, her big gold-brown eyes studying his face before she quietly said, "I forgive you."

Marc placed his hand on Vivi's shoulder, his eyes locked on Ray's face and the little boy knew that though Vivi said it was fine, her older brother wasn't feeling the same way.

He couldn't understand the look on Marc's face but he knew he would get more than just a few bruises if he ever picked on Vivi again.

The door burst open, a tall blond in a business suit rushing in, her briefcase banging against her thigh, "I'm so sorry to be this late. I got your call, I did, but I had a meeting run over at work and traffic was murder on the way here –"

"Mrs. Garrison," Miss Brizza stopped her excuses, holding out a hand as she gave her a friendly smile, "It's okay. I understand how hectic life can get. I'm really sorry I had to call you due to this –"

"I'm glad you did," Mrs. Garrison set her briefcase on a desk before turning to look at mama; "You must be Gabriel's mother."

"I am," mama stood up, holding her hand out with a smile, "Leah Laskaris."

"A pleasure," Mrs. Garrison shook her hand before looking at the kids around her, "Which one is Vivian?"

"I am," Vivi turned around in her chair, looking up at the blond woman with a bit of fear.

She smiled down at her and Gabe made up his mind right then and there –he didn't like her, "I'm sorry my son called you a nerd. It won't happen again, right Ray?"

"Yes mom."

Mrs. Garrison gave her son a smile as she picked up her briefcase, looking at Miss Brizza, "I'm sorry this happened –I assure you, name calling is not tolerated and he'll learn not to do it again."

Turning to look at mama, she gave her a nod, "A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Laskaris. Ray, let's go."

They all watched silently as Ray got out of his desk, picking up his backpack, which had been at his feet before following after his mother.

"Mama," Zaky's high pitched voice broke the silence as he turned to look at mama, his knees bouncing with excitement as he pointed at the tank, "Fish!"

"Yes, honey," mama reached out to touch his cheek and Gabe knew though she wasn't happy about what he had done, she still loved him, "Those are fish."

"Pretty fish," Zaky turned his blue eyes back to the tank, reaching up to run his finger against the glass, giggling when the fish began to follow it.

"Alright, guys," mama let out a sigh, standing up and returning the chair to the desk she had taken it from, "Let's go home. Marc, where's Einstein?"

"Uncle Seth came to pick him up after show and tell," Marc reached down to pick up Vivi's backpack, the little girl taking her poster from the desk in front of her, "Miss Gianna didn't want him to stay too long after my turn."

"That's good –I'm not sure I would have space for him too," mama smiled at him before turning to look down at Gabe, "Get your backpack, sweetie, and make sure you don't forget your homework."

"Yes, mama," Gabe hopped down from his seat, lifting the lid to his desk to get the homework Miss Brizza had given them, sliding it into his backpack before he picked it up by its strap, looking over at Vivi but she still wouldn't look at him.

Dragging his feet, he made his way towards the stroller, seeing that his brothers were asleep –that's why there was no bell music.

"Where's Emmie," mama asked as she looked around the classroom, smiling when she caught sight of her daughter snuggled into one of the beanbags in the reading corner, a book open in her lap, "Emmie, baby, it's time to go."

"Mama," Emmie looked up at her mother as she held up the book, "Read this to me."

"Honey," mama moved across the sharing carpet to crouch down beside his sister, "We need to go home, baby."

"_Alla thelo na diavaset afto to vivlio,_" she said with a pout, her blue eyes big and Gabe knew if Daddy had been there, she'd be cuddling in his lap while he read the book. ***I want you to read me this book***

"Baby," mama reached out to cup her cheek, "We'll look for it in the library tomorrow, okay?"

"You're more than welcomed to take the book with you," Miss Brizza said with a smile that just got bigger when Emmie beamed up at her, "I have a check out system so Gabe can check it out for his little sister."

"I can, mama," Gabe nodded, thinking being nice to his sister would make mama happy with him again.

"Thank you," mama gave him a smile before she looked at Emmie, "Say thank you to your brother, Emerie."

"Thank you, brother," Emmie said with a big smile as she tried to get off the beanbag, shaking her head when mama tried to help her, "I do it on my own, mama."

"Okay, baby," mama took the book from her and handed it to Gabe, who gave it to Miss Brizza and watched as she wrote his name in the library book's card before placing it in the box where she kept the other library book cards.

Emmie finally rolled out of the beanbag, pushing herself up to her feet before she skipped to Miss Brizza, giving her a big smile as she took the book offered to her, "Thank you, teacher."

"You're welcomed," Miss Brizza's smile widened as she looked up at the sound of ringing bells, her face lighting up as she caught sight of two pairs of blue eyes staring at her, "Oh my goodness! They are precious!"

Mama laughed as she picked up Zaky, "They are heartbreakers. The one in blue is Andrey and the one in green is Alyx."

"They're identical," Miss Brizza moved to crouch before the stroller, laughing as Alyx strained against his shoulder harness to reach out and touch her face, "And so social!"

"Alyx is my ladies' man," mama began herding her crowd towards the door, "I'm sure you'll be singing a different tune when you get these two in your second grade class."

Miss Brizza laughed, nibbling on Alyx's small fingers as she reached out to tap the bells on Andrey's shoes, smiling when the little boy giggled, the dimple in his right cheek turning his adorable smile downright dangerous, "That's still a few years away."

"Yes, it is," mama unlocked the brake to the stroller, Vivi taking Emmie's hand as Marc and Gabe headed towards the door, "But forewarned is forearmed."

* * *

_Finals week, December  
Tacoma, Washington_

She let out a sigh of frustration, lowering her pad of paper as she looked next to her.

"Having trouble," Collin asked as he flipped through his _Infectious Diseases_ textbook, a notebook on his lap and a pen/highlighter combo in his right hand.

"I can't get past my second argument," Lyn tossed the pad and pen onto the coffee table, stretching her arms over her head, "The damn stress over finals is giving me writer's block."

Collin looked over at her with a smile, "A bath can help with that."

"I have a better idea."

"Lyn…"

"Oh, get your mind out of the gutter, Collin Littlesea," Lyn pushed his notebook off his lap, moving to straddle him, the textbook sliding off the couch's arm and landing in a dull thud on the carpeted floor, "I was thinking about wedding plans."

"Ah," Collin tossed his pen onto the coffee table before sliding his hands up her thighs and under the three sizes too big SU t-shirt –he was pretty sure it was his –finding Lycra volleyball shorts under it, "Wedding plans…alright, let's do some planning, then."

Lyn placed her small hands on either side of his neck, leaning down to kiss his bottom lip, "Let's start with a date."

"Mhm," Collin smiled as he flexed his fingers into her waist, the muscles there trim and taut under soft supple skin, "I was thinking before residency and after graduation."

"Oh, no way in hell," Lyn shook her head, a tendril of hair escaping from the loose ponytail at the base of her neck, "I am not waiting four years for sex."

Collin laughed, bringing a hand up to tuck her hair behind a small ear, giving it a gentle tug before he moved his fingers over her jaw and down the side of her neck, "I thought we were talking about wedding plans."

"With you, wedding plans and sex come hand in hand," Lyn scooted closer to him, biting her lip when she felt his hand tighten on her hip, her face flushing as she looked up at him through her eyelashes, "Sorry."

"It's alright baby," Collin swallowed hard before letting out a breath, his fingers relaxing and going back to stroking the soft skin above her shorts, "So if not in four years, then when?"

"When would you like to marry me," Lyn asked, sitting back on his thighs as she let her hands drift down to his chest, her fingers plucking at the cotton t-shirt stretched across his chest.

If it were at all possible, he had gotten hotter –not to mention buffer –since she had first laid eyes on him almost five years ago.

"If I could, I'd marry you tomorrow," Collin leaned forward, placing a string of kisses across her jaw and down her neck, his hot breath causing goosebumps to break across her skin as she unthinkingly rocked forward, a soft gasp escaping her at the feel of him against her center, "But what with the genetics final at eight, your endocrinology paper due at one and the infectious disease final at five, we haven't got much time."

Lyn giggled, spreading her knees farther apart as she moved closer, her lips moving over his cheekbone and down his jaw line, "So if not tomorrow, how about Christmas break?"

"Baby," Collin's breath hitched at the feel of her moving against him, the basketball shorts he was wearing doing nothing to restrain his raging hard-on, "Your sister's going to be on tour and we have that internship to do."

Lyn nodded, her mouth wet against his throat as she moved her hands down to his waist, easily tugging the white shirt up his ripped stomach, "We have those two weeks between spring and summer semester."

"Doesn't give us much time to plan a wedding," Collin moved his hands up her sides, his thumbs brushing against the undersides of her breasts, a hiss of air escaping him as she rocked against him again, "Don't you want a big wedding?"

Lyn shook her head, feeling a keen sense of loss as Collin's hands dropped to her thighs.

Pulling back, she tugged his t-shirt off, smiling at the look on his face when she laid her hands on his bare chest, skin hot against her palms, his heart beating fast, the tempo in harmony with the pulse at her wrists, "A small wedding…at First Beach on a half moon night. Just the maid of honor and the best man for a wedding party…who's going to be your best man?"

"Ah, shit," Collin dropped his head back, groaning as –without thought or permission –his hips rose off the couch, the heat of her arousal rubbing against him causing the heat in his body to raise several more notches, "Its either Embry or Seth."

"Don't ask Seth," Lyn leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his waist as she rested her ear against his skin, hearing the thump-thump of his heart as he wrapped his arms tight around her, his lips brushing against her hair, "It's going to be hard enough on Julie…I don't want her to have to deal with being close to Seth as well."

"Alright," Collin kissed the top of her head again, sliding his hands under her shirt to smooth his hands over her back, the skin like silk against his hands, "I'll ask Embry."

They sat there in silence, their breathing synchronized as they held each other, Lyn's eyes closing as she inhaled his scent –woodsy yet somehow fresh…like the smell of an incoming rainstorm, "Collin."

"Yeah baby."

She turned her head to place a kiss over his heart, her nose brushing against the hot skin as she softly asked, "Make love to me."

Collin groaned, closing his arms over her as he buried his fingers into her thick hair, "Baby, we can't…"

Lyn looked at him, her purple eyes bright, the need she had for him blatantly obvious in the way she looked at him, his nostrils quivering at the heady smell of her arousal, "Any way you're willing."

He cupped her face, covering her mouth with his as a groan build up inside his chest.

She had no idea how much he wanted her –how he woke every morning and went to bed every night with the aching desire to have her in his arms to love and touch and hold and possess.

But his mother had taught him –as well as his father –that love was sacred and real, along with lovemaking.

It was a gift shared between a man and woman that made the promise of forever and sealed them into one being.

He knew Madelyn Rou was his for all eternity but he still had no right, whether it be in the eyes of God or her family as well as his, to take her when she wasn't yet his.

But there was nothing to stop him from showing her how much he loved her in other ways.

He lowered her onto the couch, their mouths never breaking apart as he gathered the hem of her t-shirt in his hands, pulling it up her stomach and over her breasts.

Gasping for breath as Collin moved his mouth down her throat, she lifted her arms over her head as he tossed the shirt aside, the cool air against her skin quickly dispelled when Collin moved his body over hers.

Moving his mouth down her throat, he placed small wet kisses from one collarbone to the other, his big hands covering her breasts, the lace of her purple bra rubbing against her hard nipples.

"You're so beautiful," Collin whispered against her skin, his nose brushing down her sternum as his lips moved over the soft swells of her breasts, "I love the way you smell…like lotus flowers and cinnamon."

Lyn's breath hitched as she felt Collin's tongue slide along the scalloped edge of the bra, wishing she could take it off and have his mouth on her but she knew not to rush him.

"I love how your skin feels like silk," his lips moved over her chest as he placed a line of kisses down the valley between her breasts, his hands moving down her sides, his nose nudging the underside of one breast before he moved down her taut stomach, one hand slipping into her shorts, "Except here…here it feels like velvet…soft, soft velvet."

Breathing was becoming a difficulty as she felt his fingers slide between her slick folds, one finger slipping deeper to gently touch the little bud of nerves.

Collin kissed a line down the middle of her torso, his tongue dipping into her bellybutton as soon as he reached it.

"Co –Collin…" Lyn stuttered his name, her hips rising up with each slow stroke of his fingers, one teasing the sensitive flesh around the opening to her body as another continued the maddening slow circles against her clit.

Sliding a hand up her side, he curved his fingers around her breast, his thumb rubbing over the taut nipple, her bra a silky barrier between their hot skins.

"I love the sounds you make," Collin gently scrapped his teeth over the flesh of her flat stomach as he slowly pushed a finger into her tight body, "Its music…a siren's call I cannot turn away from."

Lyn let out a keening cry as her body arched off the couch, her breathing strained as she fought against the threatening sensation of flying apart.

"Let go, baby," Collin moved up her body, his lips brushing her cheek as he picked up the speed of his thrusting fingers, her hip rubbing against his erection as she moved in rhythm with his hand, "I want to watch you come apart for me."

Lyn let out a sob as she reached up to bring his head down, her tongue sliding over his as she let herself go, her body tight then splintering apart, her soul full as it sank into a pool of silky wetness, every one of her senses humming in satisfaction.

He slowly pulled his hand out of her shorts, wrapping his arms around her, a groan escaping him as her hip brushed against him.

"Collin," Lyn placed a kiss on his shoulder, her hand sliding down his stomach.

"No, _bǎobǎo_," Collin grabbed her hand, threading his fingers through hers as he turned his head to kiss her forehead as she smiled at his use of baby in Chinese, "If I let you touch me right now, I'll lose it."

"That would be the point."

Collin laughed at her teasing words, tightening his arms around her as she slid her arms around his waist, a slim thigh moving to rest between his as she tucked her head under his chin.

Seconds passed by in comfortable silence, their labored breathing evening out as their hearts slowed down to a steady pace.

Collin looked down in surprise as Lyn started giggling, "What's so funny, Madelyn Rou?"

She tilted her head back to give him a bright smile, her purple eyes sparkling with mirth.

"I figured out the second argument to my paper."


	15. Chapter 13

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: FYI, in case y'all haven't picked up on it, one of my side stories is Julie and Lian...that's the reason why they're getting such big parts of the chapters...but no worries -it'll become more of Gabe and Vivi when they start getting older and noticing each other. I'm currently working on Ch. 14 and it looks good!  
**

**Gaby -love you lots! Can't wait for your review...despite the hateful spouting you do towards Lian, I still like reading what you think.  
**

**Ses -eight!  
**

**Gianna, Lette, moani, Chelsea, guests and other wonderful reviewers -if you have ideas of what you'd like to see with my story, go ahead and share them in your review...I might or might not use them but they will definitely help in the brainstorming process.  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and please, Please, PLEASE review.  
**

**Chapter Thirteen**  
_December 13__th__  
Glasgow, Scotland_

He stood in the shadows off-stage, watching as the guys finished setting up instruments, plugging in chords and turning on amplifiers.

He couldn't see her thanks to the people milling about on stage but he knew she was there.

"Alright," someone spoke up and he immediately recognized Adam, July's touchy-feely guitarist, "We're all plugged in. Jules –digits or vocals?"

Had he not been looking for her, he would have choked on his own tongue when she straightened up, lifting a black and silver guitar strap over her head, the crew parting to give him a clear view.

It made no sense, her looking so damn good in what she was wearing.

Hell, he was sure he had seen that outfit of cut off-shorts, high top sneakers, ripped shirt with a black tube top underneath on some strung out junkie back in New York but on July, it looked like it belonged on the runway –it had to be the mile long legs.

He watched as she adjusted the tone and sound of her purple and black electric guitar in her hands, a high ponytail tumbling over her shoulder as she turned to look at Adam with a grin, "Let's rock it."

"Alright," Dave exclaimed as he thumbed the bass drum a few times then in a seamless motion, the entire band began playing one of Led Zeppelin's songs.

He stood there, watching as they effortlessly moved from Zeppelin to Joplin, followed by Petty then AC/DC, the lights over the stage changing as the lighting techs worked on finding the best lighting for tonight's concert.

His respect for July's musical talent increased several notches as he watched her fingers moving over the steel strings, the concentration on her face giving her an almost ethereal look…or perhaps it was the bluish ting of the light they had on her at the moment.

As the last chords died down, Adam looked over at July, reaching up to wipe a hand over his forehead, "Low or high, Jules?"

Shaking her arms, she removed the guitar and carefully placed it on a stand next to an acoustic twelve string, rolling her shoulders back as she made her way to one of the microphones, "Let's start low and move up."

"Y'all heard her," Adam moved back to stand stage left near the keyboardist, giving the other guitarists a nod, "Let's Staton it up."

He watched the way her eyes danced as she laughed, the static on the microphone clearing up as the sound techs got it on the right channel.

Her eyes closed as she took a deep breath, her face slightly flushing as she began singing the well known Candi Staton song.

_He called be baby, baby  
All night long  
Used to hold and kiss me  
Till the dawn_

_Then one day I awoke  
And he was gone  
There's no more baby, baby  
All night long_

_He called me baby, baby  
All night long  
Lord, I feel so empty  
Since he's been gone_

Lian took a deep breath, fighting back the irrational anger swelling up. The pain caused to her spilled out –and although they weren't her words, he could feel how personal each one was.

_Now I lie here and I die here  
Until the dawn  
I miss my baby, baby, baby  
All night long_

_He called me baby, baby, baby  
All night long, yes, he did  
Kiss my tears away  
When things went wrong_

_What I'd give, what I'd give  
If he'd come on back home  
And call me baby, baby, baby  
All night long, oh, yeah_

Lian took a step back, unable to appreciate the way her smooth voice thickened into an identical match to Candi Staton's bluesy timbre.

Turning on his heel, a glint on the stage floor caught his attention.

He leaned down, picking up a thin silver chain, the pendant swinging at eye level as he studied it for a few seconds.

Turning his hand, he watched as the dim light caught the opal, the rainbow hue undulating as he moved his wrist again before it disappeared into his fist.

Looking over his shoulder, he could hear her singing the last few words, her voice thick with emotion making the song throb and the air around him vibrate with intensity.

_Squeeze me, baby  
All night long_

_I just wanna hear you say baby…_

* * *

Julie easily caught the bottle of water Adam tossed her way, reaching back to swipe at the wet strands of hair sticking to her neck before twisting the top open, "That was a good warm up, concert's at eleven so we'll start rehearsing our song list at nine."

As she tilted her head back to take a long swallow, Adam reached out to tickle her throat, laughing as she sputtered, water spraying across his shirt, "Damn, Jules. You need to learn to hold your liquids."

"Shut up," Julie wiped the back of her hand over her wet mouth before slapping his shoulder, her face flushed with the heat from the stage lights, "It's your fault, jerk."

"Just admiring the bare neck."

Her eyebrows lowered in confusion as she reached up to touch the pendant nestled in the hollow between her collarbones, her eyes growing wide when she touched skin and nothing else, "Oh my God! Where's my mermaid?"

"Were you wearing it before we started setting up," Adam asked as he looked around the stage floor.

"I never take it off," Julie twisted the top back on her bottle, thrusting it into Adam's hands as Dan gave her a smile; "We'll look around here. Why don't you go see if it's in your dressing room? If we don't find it, we'll head to the hotel and look there."

Julie ran across stage, eyes sweeping the floor as she felt her heart beat painfully against her ribs.

Despite the fact it was a gift from Seth –and he wasn't on her list of favorite people –she was rather attached to her mermaid and somewhere in the smallest crevice of her heart, she believed it would help her find true love…if such a thing existed.

Rushing into her dressing room, the door banged against the wall as she headed straight to the lighted vanity table, moving bottles and jars, picking up brushes and pins, her heart sinking into her stomach –it wasn't there.

"Oh, fuck me," she muttered as she dropped everything back on top of the vanity, hands flat against the surface as she rocked forward, head dropping low between her shoulders, "Fuck me now."

"With pleasure."

Spinning around in surprise, wide purple eyes locked on Lian. He was sitting at the far end of the brown suede couch, a booted foot resting on one knew while he leaned his head against a closed fist, his elbow on the arm of the couch –the scariest thing, though, was the smile on his face…dear God, were her panties actually getting wet?

"What are you doing here?"

Lian's eyebrow arched in that cocky way of his, "Natalie called, told me your opening show bowed out and ordered me to Glasgow, no questions asked, no arguments heard."

Tightening her jaw, she turned her back on him, shifting the items on the vanity without seeing anything –she had looked forward to months of no Lian and now, thanks to that meddlesome bitch of a producer of hers, here he was, disturbing the cellular composition that made up her skin.

"Looking for something?"

"Yes," she ground out between her teeth, the lie coming out easily because she had been looking for something before she realized he was in the room –now, she was just trying to keep herself from feeling anything but anger and hate towards him.

And she did hate him –God, she hated him so passionately it almost set her up in flames whenever he touched her or looked at her in that way of his.

"Need help?"

Sucking in a deep breath, she quickly caught a jar before it tipped off the table, placing it back on the surface a little too hard, "Not from you."

She could hear him move, her body tensing as she mentally screamed for him to stay away while her body craved the feel of his hands.

"That's too bad," Lian's voice was smooth with a slight hint of amusement, "Considering I've found what you're looking for."

She turned around, hands gripping the edge of the table to stay upright –her legs were actually shaking!

Leaning forward with his elbows on his thighs, he gave her a one sided smile as he held up a fist.

Opening his hand, the silver chain tumbled down, the mermaid pendant swaying sharply before it turned several times then slowing down until it gently swayed.

"Where did you find it?"

"Off-stage," Lian tilted his head to the side, his dark brown eyes slowly moving over her and Julie knew she needed to stay strong –the look in his eyes screamed no good intentions that her body would enjoy but her heart wouldn't be able to endure.

Looking down at the pendant, he rotated his wrist until it rested against the outside of his hand, "The clasp was broken –you must have been bending down not to feel it slip."

She couldn't move from where she stood, her lungs seizing as he stood up in one long fluid motion.

Moving towards her, he held the delicate chain open between large hands, "Hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty to fix it while I waited for you to be done with the band."

"I –" Julie's voice chose to die right then and there as he stopped before her, their bodies so close all it would take was one deep breath for them to be touching.

Reaching up, he slid his hands over her shoulders, his fingers brushing the back of her neck as he took his time working the clasp, the familiar weight of the small pendant resting in the hollow at the base of her throat.

"She reminds me of you," Lian's low voice caused her heart to skip a beat as he looked into her eyes, his thumb brushing down the side of her neck, causing a shiver to run down her back, "Beautifully aloof…unreachable…unattainable…mythical."

Julie bit the inside of her cheek, attempting to keep her breathing steady but it wasn't easy when he was so close…and touching her.

"If there were such beings as mermaids," Lian moved his hands over her shoulders –bare due to the wide neckline of her ripped t-shirt –cupping the pendant as he pressed the back of his hand against her chest, his thumb moving over the small mermaid, "You would be one."

Clenching her jaw, she looked up at him, her ponytail sliding between her shoulder blades, tickling her skin, "You don't believe in mermaids?"

The slight incredulity in her voice had him arching an eyebrow in surprise, "You do?"

"Yes," Julie wanted space between them –she needed the space badly –but she was trapped between Lian and the vanity, "Family folklore has it some of my ancestors were mermaids."

Lian gave her a grin with a bit of a mocking edge to it, "Family legends on my end states vampires in close proximity will increase the werewolf population…what with them being natural enemies and all."

"Vampires are everyone's natural enemies," Julie whispered, swallowing back the need to yell at him to get away from her but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he affected her.

Lian stared into her eyes, studying her face for a few seconds before he started chuckling, "You had me going there for a while."

She didn't say anything, simply shifted her weight, her foot accidentally nudging the toe of his boot.

Looking away from his eyes, she let out a surprised gasp as her necklace tightened around her throat, his hand fisted around it as he leaned forward, his nose brushing her cheekbone, "The smell of hard work really becomes you, July."

Biting her bottom lip, she swallowed hard as she took a slow deep breath to keep her voice from shaking but she failed miserable, "Why are you doing this?"

Lian's lips briefly touched her cheek as he moved his nose down her jaw line, "I want you."

She was surprised by his honesty, her lower belly clenching with such vicious desire she couldn't hold back a moan.

She felt the necklace loosen, his rough fingers moving over her shoulders and down her arms, his thumbs brushing the outside swells of her breasts.

She had to stop this –she had to before her traitorous body flipped the off switch on her brain.

"You can't have me."

Her breath brushed over his neck and she watched in fascination as his pulse leaped before he moved back to look down at her, much needed space between their bodies leaving Julie feeling cold and oddly incomplete.

"Let me guess," Lian's voice had that razor edge of derision that warned her to still herself –he was going to draw blood, "You're in love with someone and plan on loving him until your dying breath."

Anger flushed her cheeks as she looked up at him, his words mocking the bloody mess that was her heart and her first instinct was to protect herself by lashing out at him, "I have no desire or intention of playing the whore for you."

Lian's eyes widened as his lips tightened into a flat line.

Dropping his hands to his sides, he moved away from her, "Who said anything about playing?"

She wanted to cry; she wanted to slap him; she wanted to scream at him that it wasn't fair, the things he said to her, what he believed on her.

It wasn't fair, because it wasn't true.

But she didn't do any of that for several reasons: if she slapped him, he would kiss her. If she cried, he would know how much his words hurt her…and if she screamed at him about unfairness, he'd just tell her to suck it up.

Life wasn't fair, after all.

The door to her dressing room opened, neither one looking away from each other as Adam came in talking, "Jules, we couldn't find your –oh."

Breaking the eye contact, she turned to give Adam a tight smile, "I found it."

"Right," Adam nodded, quietly studying the tableau before looking over at Lian, "What are you doing here?"

"Natalie's orders."

Several seasons of awkward silence passed before Julie realized he wasn't going to explain further, "Lian and his band are going to be our opening show."

"Swell," Adam's sarcasm was evident as he looked between them before giving Julie a smile, "We're heading to the hotel. Coming with us?"

"Yes," she finally let go of the vanity, her fingers painfully cramped, quickly making her way across the room before looking over at Lian.

Business. Think business.

"Concert's at eleven, we start rehearsing at nine. You guys should come in a couple of hours before that to do your own rehearsal."

Grabbing the backpack by the door, she walked out, telling herself that her heart was not hurting over the brief lost-little-boy look that had flashed across Lian's face.

* * *

The applause was thunderous, the screams deafening as Julie raised a hand over her head, her breathing labored as she gave a deep bow, her large smile bright under the hot spotlights.

Raising the microphone up to her mouth, she grinned, hard breathing sounding over the high-quality system, "Thank you! Thank you for having me here!"

Giving one more sweeping bow, she placed the microphone back onto its stand. Waving her arms at the crowd as they kept cheering and applauding, running off stage as the stage went dark, a couple of seconds passing before the arena's floodlights blinked on.

Covering her face as soon as she was off-stage, she let out a scream jumping on the balls of her feet in an effort to get rid of the adrenaline running through her body.

"You were awesome!"

A scream escaped her as she was lifted off the floor, laughter coming easily as Adam spun her around before tossing her over to Dan who squeezed her tight before placing her back on her feet, "That was off the wall, Jules! Fuckin' brilliant!"

Julie laughed, reaching up to tousle Dan's shaggy hair, wiping her hand on his t-shirt when it came away from sweat, "You guys were…great! Oh God! That was unbelievable!"

"You say that after every concert," Dave wrapped his arm around her head, giving her neck a squeeze before letting go, "You always act like it's your first."

"Performing in front of so many people," Julie shook her head, pulling out a hair tie from the pocket of her tight jeans to tie her long hair up into a twist, "It doesn't get old. Know what I mean?"

"Hell yeah, know what you mean," Eric –her electric guitarist –held up his hand to give her a high five, "When it does get old, you step down and let someone else take a turn at reaching the top."

"Exactly," Julie let out a breath, rubbing her tingling palms against her denim clad thighs, "Man…I hadn't expected this many people to know who I was…much less pay money to hear me sing for two hours."

"Baby," Adam wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he grinned down at her, his thumb brushing at the heated skin behind her ear, "You're a star –scratch that. You're _the_ star."

Julie laughed, reaching up to squeeze his hand before stepping out from under his arm, giving her drummer a big smile when he reached out to gently cuff her chin, "You go unwind, Jules. We'll start putting stuff away."

"Thanks, Dave," Julie rubbed the back of her neck, her breathing finally evening out, "I can use a little down time…and some hot tea."

"Go take care of that voice, baby," Adam reached out to squeeze her shoulder before following after the guys, calling out over his shoulder with a teasing grin, "You're our bread and butter, after all."

Julie laughed as she headed towards her dressing room, taking a look around as soon as she opened the door, a sigh of relief escaping her when she found the room empty.

Walking in, the soft click of the closing door sounded behind her as she looked at the couch –it would be great to get off her feet but she was so wired she couldn't stay still.

Pulling the clinging top over her head, she closed her eyes, enjoying the cool air brushing against her heated skin.

Two hours under hot stage lights always left her sweating under her clothes –considering she refused to wear anything extremely skimpy, she always felt overheated after her concerts.

Tossing the top over a chair, she arched her back before grabbing a long sleeve cotton top from the open suitcase sitting on a table, yanking it over her head as a knock sounded at the door.

Pulling the hem of the light blue top down to her hips, she called over her shoulder, "Come in."

The door opened and she knew from the shifting of the energy in the air it was none other than Lian.

"The guys wanted to see if you'd like to go to the Cathouse," Lian leaned against the door-frame, ankles crossed as he let his eyes lazily travel down her body then back.

"I was planning on heading back to the hotel," Julie closed her suitcase, zipping it up before grabbing the wet top and stuffing it into a side pocket.

"If you're anything like me after a concert, there's no way you'll be able to relax," Lian's voice sounded friendly yet oddly detached as she moved towards the vanity.

Placing her make-up stuff into a hot pink bag, she knew he was watching her through the reflection of the mirror, "You're way too wired to sleep and you'll only end up pacing the floor until sunrise."

"I'll swim a few laps at the indoor pool," she zipped the bag, placing it on top of her suitcase before looking around the room to make sure she hadn't left anything of hers behind.

"Your guys are coming too," he said in a last ditch effort to change her mind.

Julie knew that he was right –she was wide awake with adrenaline coursing through her veins…and although going out was the norm for her and the guys in her band, she didn't want to put herself in a situation that would lead to Lian shooting off his mouth –she didn't know why he did it but she knew he would.

Taking a deep breath to say no one more time, Adam's knock on the outside of the opened door interrupted the moment.

He gave Lian a tight smile, "Great show, man."

"Thanks."

Despite the platitude, it was obvious in his tone he didn't really care what her guitarist thought of his opening show –although Julie agreed with Adam, it had been amazing.

"We're heading to the Cathouse to let out some steam," Adam moved into the dressing room to go stand beside her, his back to Lian as his blue eyes smiled down at her, "You coming, right?"

Julie knew the moment she said the words out loud, she was going to hate herself but she couldn't hold back the desire to prick Lian's pride as she gave Adam a flirty smile, "I'd love to go with you and the guys."

"Really," Adam's smile widened as he reached out to touch her cheek, his thumb slightly dipping into the corner of her mouth before he stepped back, "I'll go tell the other guys."

Julie knew she had just made a horrible mistake…not only had she led Adam to believe she was interested in him –something she had worked so hard not to do in the past years knowing his feelings for her –but she could see the anger in Lian's dark eyes as he kept his gaze steady on her.

As soon as Adam was out of the room, Julie braced herself –if she knew Lian well, he wasn't going to let this go without causing some damage.

* * *

Lian felt like punching something –or someone.

He knew he should keep his mouth shut –it was her right to refuse or accept invitations from whomever she fucking pleased.

That little act had been for the sole purpose of pissing him off and she had succeeded –and he was going to let her know.

Simply put, games were something he hated and there was no way she was going to get away with making him feel the way he was feeling right now without her getting some of the her own back.

Reaching for the door knob, he arched an eyebrow, his voice devoid of any emotion despite the cutting words he spoke, "Never thought I'd be adding bitch to the list of things to call you."

He heard the sharp intake of breath but he didn't watch her face; he didn't want to see the anger or the hurt in her eyes so he walked out, closing the door behind him before heading out to join his guys.

* * *

_The Cathouse  
3:15 AM_

The music was loud, energy throbbing in the air as she moved to the music, letting her thoughts and emotions bleed into the simple movements of her body, never once letting herself think past the visceral desire to separate mind and body.

A hand brushing across her back had her crashing back to earth, her eyes swinging up to look into Lian's face as he leaned over to yell by Adam's ear, "I'm cutting in!"

Almost as if it were planned, the next song came out slow and heavy, Julie taking a sharp breath as Lian pulled her into his arms, her hands resting on his upper arms, somewhat surprised by the defined muscles that rippled under her fingers.

"Enjoying yourself," he said into her ear, his lips brushing her sensitized skin, forcing her to suppress a shiver before it revealed the fact that he could easily get under her skin.

"Yes," she had meant to say it loud to be heard but it came out as a whisper that brushed across his face, soft and warm with a slight hint of liquorish thanks to the couple of Jager shots she had taken.

They danced in silence, their bodies brushing and touching as he held her close.

As the song faded and another fast throbbing one began, he took her hand to lead her off the dance floor, easily moving around the crowd to the second floor where they had been given a large VIP section.

"We got another round of shots," Dave yelled as soon as they arrived at the tables, handing each of them a shot glass with the dark liquor, "Drink up!"

Julie knew once she downed this one –her third of the night –her inner bitch was going to make an appearance but after a few seconds of thinking it over, she decided to go for it.

If anyone deserved to go head to head with her while drunk, it was Lian.

Tossing it back, she smoothly sat at one of the round corner tables, moving across the bench seat when Lian sat next to her.

Dave handed her another shot as Adam bounded into their section, a waitress behind him with a tray of shots, beer bottles and tumblers, "Got more alcohol!"

"You are trying to get me drunk, aren't you," Julie teased as she took an offered tumbler of whiskey, her eyes growing watery as soon as she sniffed it, "What is this?"

"Scottish whiskey, baby," Adam grinned at her as he slipped the waitress a tip, tossing back a shot glass of Jager before picking up a tumbler of the amber liquid, "And of course we're trying to get you drunk. This is the first time any of us have ever seen you drink...you're always the D.D."

"There's a reason I don't drink," Julie sipped at the whiskey, the smooth liquid burning a path down her throat, "The consequences of it are too painful to deal with."

Adam laughed, misunderstanding what she meant by that as he leaned across to table to give her a cocky grin, "That's because I wasn't around to give you the best hangover cure ever."

Julie laughed, setting the tumbler on the table before leaning forward to point a finger at Adam, a cocky smirk on her face, "I don't get hangovers."

"Then what painful consequences are you talking about," Micah –Lian's drummer –grinned at her as he picked up a lime wedge along with a shot of tequila, "Waking up and not remembering if the guy was any good?"

Everyone laughed –except Lian who merely sipped on his rum and coke, looking sideways at Julie as she tossed back another shot before giving Micah a grin, "Is that what the girls you take home ask you the morning after?"

Lian hid his smile into his glass as the other guys howled, Micah flabbergasted as Ryan –he played the keyboard in Lian's band –leaned over the booth, slapping his friend's back, "Burned! She sure put you in your place."

Micah's face flushed slightly as he tossed back the shot, giving the lemon a hard suck before looking across the table at Julie, "You're a bitch."

Julie laughed, shrugging her shoulders as she picked up her whiskey, "Can't handle what you ditch, keep your hole shut then."

"I get it now," Dan laughed as he exchanged his empty bottle for a fresh one, "The painful consequences are to the rest of us, uh?"

Julie grinned, saying nothing as she continued to sip at her whiskey.

Shifting on her seat, she let out a long breath, trying to get her body under control –she was hyper-aware of Lian sitting beside her, causing her nerves to jump and tighten with every move he made.

Yes, inner bitch was out and ready to play but did she also have to be so damn horny?

Adam finished his whiskey, watching Lian as he watched Julie, thinking that if alcohol turned her into a bitch then he should point her in his direction…scare him off, so to speak, "Hey, Lian. What's up with that model girlfriend of yours?"

As soon as he turned to look his way, Adam knew he had just made a big mistake thinking he could mess with this guy –there was something in the dark glare he was receiving that let him know this was a fight he should think twice about picking up.

"She left for Puerto Rico back in June," Lian drawled as he stretched his arm out to set his glass on the table, "To fulfill a three year contract with _Dalai_."

"Giving the relationship a long distance try, uh," Julie sneered at him as she shifted in the seat, needing some space as she mentally told herself to get a grip but it wasn't easy –the bastard had kissed her while he had a girlfriend!

"No," Lian turned to look at her, stretching an arm across the booth's backrest, his fingers brushing her shoulder, "She dropped me as soon as she got what she wanted."

"Opportunistic bitch," Dan shook his head as he picked up a beer bottle, handing Julie another shot, "Drink up, Jules."

"All of Lian's exes are opportunistic," Evan –one of his guitarists –grabbed a beer bottle, missing the look of warning Lian shot his way, "Remember Audrey? That bitch was the worst."

"Ever thought of finding a girl interested in more than just your money and fame," Julie asked, tipping her whiskey glass back to drain the last of the amber liquid, the warm feeling in the pit of her stomach spreading throughout her body.

"It's been my experience most women are only interested in money and fame," Lian looked down at her as he covertly played with her hair, picking up the soft tresses to let them slip through his fingers and down her back.

"Maybe because that's all you have to offer," Julie gave him a smile, suppressing a shiver from running down her back.

The other guys laughed as he stared down at her, several seconds passing before his mouth spread into a grin.

"So I've been told," he tilted his head to the side as he moved his fingers through her hair to give her ear a slight tug, causing a streak of pleasure to zip down her body, "Then again, none of them ever bothered to dig for more than what's on the surface."

Julie looked up into his dark eyes, her alcohol-soaked brain unable to focus on anyone else but him as she poked his chest with a long finger, "Probably because there's not much to dig for."

Lian smiled as he leaned closer, the tip of his nose brushing hers as he whispered, "I'm sure you've heard assholes are always the ones hiding a sensitive heart."

"Oh, yes," Julie's breathing was coming in soft flutters as her eyes focused on his smiling mouth, her tongue involuntarily poking out to touch her bottom lip, "All the good stuff…buried under piles and piles of bullshit."

Lian threw his head back as he laughed, his fingers sliding into her hair to curve around the back of her neck as he looked into her eyes, his own dancing with amusement, "Considering you have your own money and fame, you should think of giving it a try."

Julie scrunched up her nose as she looked away from him, leaning forward to take the shot Dan had left on the table for her, "I don't like wasting my time with hopeless causes."

Lian leaned forward, taking her hand before she reached the glass, whispering into her ear as he pulled her out of the bench and onto her feet, "Some hopeless cases are worth the time wasted."

"Where are we going," Julie asked as she let him lead her out of the VIP area and across the club, too soused to think of doing anything else.

Pulling her next to him, he lifted his arm over her head to place it around her shoulders, her hand still secure in his, "I'm taking you back to the hotel –you've had too much to drink and if I recall, there's a benefit concert in your scheduled later today."

"I'm not sleeping with you," Julie told him in a stern voice that sounded more like a meowing kitten.

"No," Lian looked down at her with a smile, his thumb brushing against her jaw, "You're sleeping alone tonight."

They walked out of the club, the doorman stepping to the edge of the curb to flag down a cab as soon as one was in view.

Lian's eyebrows lowered as she looked up at him, gnawing on her bottom lip for a few seconds, "Lian?"

"Yeah."

"Do you really think I'm a bitch?"

A slow smile spread across his face as he reached up to gently grasp her chin between his thumb and index finger, "After eight shots of Jager and a glass of really strong whiskey, definitely."

Julie stared up into his dark eyes, seeing something there that amazed her.

Her inner bitch hadn't intimidated him as it did with most guys –hell, looking into his eyes, she could see he was actually amused by her.

"What about before," Julie whispered, not sure why she cared but being drunk didn't just mean she could be a bitch –it also meant she had no verbal filter whatsoever, "In the dressing room?"

Lian let out a slow breath as he spread his long fingers against the side of her face, the calluses at the tips scrapping over the soft skin of her temple, "Anger to me is like alcohol to you…I can't seem to shut up when I get angry…especially at you."

"Why are you so angry at me," Julie blinked, somewhere in the back of her mind completely horrified that she was about ready to start crying.

Lian let his eyes slowly roam over her face, taking in every detail, however minute…such as that faint freckle at the corner of her mouth, "I want you…I already told you that. I've wanted you since the first time I heard your voice…but it's so obvious you're hung up on someone else. You literally have a bleeding heart, July, for a jerk that doesn't deserve it. Where does that leave me?"

He took a deep breath as he let go of her hand, lowering his arm down her back to pull her in closer, his forehead resting against hers, "In the sidelines, just watching…and that makes me angry…at you…at him…at myself...at the whole fucked up situation."

Julie lowered her eyes, reaching out to touch the silver half moon woven into a leather band around his neck, her words soft against his skin, "I'm sorry."

Lian let out a deep breath as he wrapped both arms around her, pulling her into him, his chin resting on the top of her head.

As she wrapped her arms around his waist, the tears she had been holding back broke free, streaming down her face and soaking up his sweater.

Rubbing her back, he kissed the top of her head before leaning back to look down at her face, "I don't know how to fix you…or how to help…I guess that's something you have to do on your own but…it isn't easy doing nothing about the pain you're in when I wonder if it was even necessary in the first place."

Julie reached up to wipe her hand over her wet cheek, taking a shuddering breath as she whispered, keeping her eyes on that half moon pendant, "It was a choice I made…a wrong one, mind you, and now I need to live with my mistake…you can help by…by trying to be a friend?"

Lian let out a soft scoff as he watched a cab finally pull up to the curb, the doorman holding the back door open for them, "A friend…probably the only thing I deserve from you at this point."

* * *

_Night of Christmas Eve_

"…_he sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down of a thistle."_

Rose watched as Vivi snuggled her cheek into Seth's chest, Marc letting out a yawn as his dark brown eyes finally closed, Seth turning the last page of the book before he continued in a low voice, "_But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night._"

Closing the book, he carefully set it aside so as not to disturb the sleeping kids in his arms, smiling at Rose as she offered to help him take them up to their rooms, "I can take them. You start getting things ready for tomorrow morning."

"Okay," Rose leaned forward to kiss his cheek before pulling the blanket off of them, watching with a smile as he easily stood up, a sleeping child in each arm.

Rose tossed the blanket over the back of the couch, having moved it around to face the corner fireplace and family wall –called thusly due to all the family pictures.

Opening the hall closet, she pulled out a box filled with the surprise decorations, leaving the gifts in there for Seth to take out as she returned to the living room, kneeling by the coffee table she had set in front of the fireplace.

"I tucked both of them into Marc's bed," Seth walked down the stairs, heading to the stereo and putting in a CD of Christmas music, the volume low.

"He's got the space for it," Rose spread out a colorful cover over the top of the low table before pulling out a carved manger, "Maybe we should look into getting Vivi a bigger bed."

"I've asked," Seth came from the hallway, several wrapped boxes in his arms, "She says she likes her bed just fine."

Rose laughed as she set out the manger scene, re-arranging the little sheep and their shepherds, "She might change her mind once she's older."

"Maybe," he shrugged as he placed the boxes under the lighted tree, reaching up to pick off a sugared marzipan star.

"Hey," Rose gave him a reprimanding look over her shoulder, "Put that back. Vivi and I made them for tomorrow morning."

"Oh, come on," Seth gave her a puppy look, the Christmas lights on the tree making his eyes look luminous, "It's just one star…if I move this bell, no one will know."

"I'll know," Rose's voice was rather prim and he couldn't hold back the laughter as he returned the star to its place, licking the powder sugar off his fingers as he gave her a grin, "Vivi's definitely related to you."

Rose lifted a shoulder as she gave a delicate sniff, her full lips spreading into a smile as she looked up at him, "There are shortbread cookies in the kitchen. You can have two after you're done putting all the gifts under the tree."

"Woo-wee," Seth exclaimed in sincere excitement as he returned to the hall closet, taking out several more wrapped gifts, "Two whole cookies!"

"And a glass of milk."

Seth laughed, setting the gifts under the tree, making a third –and last trip –to the hall closet, "What more do we need to do?"

Rose reached into the box, pulling out colorful stockings, one for each child –not just Vivi and Marc but Leah and Rick's kids too, "I just need to hang these and we're done."

"Ah, see, that's where you're wrong," Seth re-arranged several of the larger gifts before moving to where Rose was hanging the stockings from the fireplace mantel, "If I recall from our first Christmas, we still have one more tradition to uphold."

Rose blushed, slipping the last stocking onto its hook as Seth wrapped his arms around her waist, his lips placing a soft kiss on the side of her neck as the soft guitar strings of _O Holy Night_ floated through the stereo's speakers.

Turning in his arms, she smiled up at him, sliding her hands up his chest to his shoulders as he moved her in a slow circle in time with the music, his lips brushing her cheek as he whispered, "I love you so much Rose. You're the best gift I'll ever get."

Eyes bright as she looked up at him, she cupped his jaw with her small hand, her fingers soft against his skin, "You're everything I could ever want or need…_te amo con todo mi ser._"


	16. Chapter 14

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Sorry about the delay...I've been sick most of the week but hey, got it done to keep up with my weekly updates. Already have the next chapter (or three) in my brain and will be working on it within the next four days.  
**

**Gaby -I love you! I enjoy the fact that you're almost always the first one to review. It's awesome!  
**

**Ses -is this ten? Ten chapters to catch up on, girl! Man, what a joy that'll be. Looking forward to your reviews.  
**

**Moani, Lette, Chelsea, Giannaa -you're all so wonderful, constantly reviewing whenever you read a new chapter of mine. Can't wait to read your reviews either.  
**

**As always, enjoy while you're reading and please review!  
**

**Chapter Fourteen  
**_Christmas Day morning_

"Oh my God, Seth," Leah turned to glare at her brother as Zaky let out a squeal of delight, "What is the matter with you?"

Everyone –except for Leah who was still glaring at Seth –laughed as Zaky, still wearing his footie elf pajamas, ran towards the front door, dragging along a child sized surfboard as he squealed, "Go surfin'! Unca Eth, go surfin'!"

Seth laughed as Zaky jumped in an attempt to reach the doorknob, turning to give his sister a smile, "Relax, Lee. It's a soft surfboard specifically designed for children and beginners –that one's only four feet two inches."

"Which is twice his height," Leah watched her little boy slap his hand against the door a few times before turning expectant eyes towards them, "How are you going to explain he can't go surfing in the middle of December?"

Seth stretched out his arm towards his nephew, "Come here, buddy."

Zaky toddled over to him, bringing his board along as his uncle pulled him in to sit on his lap, "Go surfin'."

"We will, buddy," Seth gave his little shoulders a squeeze, "But first, you need to learn how to take care of your board. We can't just toss it into the water like that."

Zaky's dark eyebrows lowered over his blue eyes as he looked down at his bright red surfboard, giving it a couple of pats before looking up at Seth again, "I learn, we surf?"

"It's gonna take us a while," Seth gave him a smile as he tapped his finger on the board, "We have to wax your board, wait for warm weather and get you a wet suit."

Seth grinned as Zaky tilted his head to the side, quietly contemplating what he'd said before asking, "Then we surf?"

"Then we surf."

He couldn't help the laughter as Zaky gave him a serious nod, wiggling out of his lap to toddle across the living room floor towards the couch, surfboard held in both little hands.

Chuckles filled the living room as he placed the small surfboard on the couch then grabbed a fistful of Rick's pant leg to pull himself up.

Snuggling into Rick's side, he pulled the board up onto his lap, giving his sister a big smile –she was sitting in Rick's lap with Mou-bear tucked tightly in her small arms –as she leaned forward to pat his board, "It's a pretty board, Zaky."

Zaky hummed as he nodded in agreement, running his little hands over the smooth surface of his board as Seth returned to his traditional job of handing out the gifts under the tree.

The family –Laskaris, Clearwater and Swans –were all gathered at Seth and Rose's place being they had the bigger living room.

The floor was littered with torn wrapping paper, boxes and tissue paper as the kids played with their newly acquired toys, turning in excitement whenever Seth reached for another gift under the tree.

Except for two of them –Zaky was enthralled with his surfboard, lovingly admiring it as he traced the wooden stringer with his small fingers and Emmie who sat snuggled in her father's lap, holding tight to Mou-bear as she kept blue eyes on the front door.

"This one's for Emmie," Seth handed the box to Leah who handed it to Rick, "From Granma and Grampa."

Emmie looked down at the wrapped box, her eyes bright with curiosity but she didn't reach for the gift Rick had set before her.

"Don't you want to open it, _meli mou_?"

She shook her head, looking up at her father as she stuck a small finger into her mouth, "_Mou den einai akomi edo._" ***Mou isn't here yet***

"I know, _moro,_ but your grandparents want to see you open their gift," Rick stroked her fine dark hair, smiling as he cupped her little face, "He'll be here soon. You can open the gifts he brings for you when he gets here."

Emmie looked at the door for a few seconds before looking up at Rick, pursing her rosebud mouth as she gave a nod.

Looking down at the box, she studied it for a few seconds, small fingers tugging at the colorful ribbons.

Turning the box awkwardly with one hand while she kept her other arm wrapped tight around Mou-bear, she found the seam where the wrapping paper overlapped.

Little fingers went to work on the paper, the ripping sound followed by a squeal of joy, "Ladybugs!"

Emmie turned the bright yellow box over, looking up at her father in excitement, "Daddy, its ladybugs!"

"What," Leah's eyes grew wide as she looked over at her mother, "You got her ladybugs? Did you and Seth decide to conspire against me?"

"It's a ladybug habitat," Sue had a serene smile on her face as she leaned back into Charlie's arms –she was sitting on his lap in one of the armchairs –adjusting Andrey in her lap, the little boy wearing red footie pajamas with printed snowflakes, his twin brother wearing similar ones but with snowmen, "The actual ladybugs will arrive in February."

"Why," Leah rubbed her forehead, already envisioning the little critters let loose in her house, "Why would you get her ladybugs?"

Sue's smile widened as she watched her granddaughter let go of her teddy bear to hold up the box for her father to open, "Remember the water guns?"

Charlie and Rick laughed as Leah let out a groan, Seth chuckling as he turned to look at his wife sitting cross-legged on the floor between him and the front door, "We're not having any kids."

Rose's eyebrows arched in surprise, "Why not?"

"'Cause if water guns deserve that," he pointed at the box his niece was quickly emptying, Rick holding a yellow netted cube along with a magnifying glass, tweezers, and other sundry items needed to observe ladybugs, "I don't want to find out what my mother will come up with to pay me back…believe me, water guns are nothing compared to the things I did."

They all laughed as Seth continued to hand out presents to the kids.

Gabe exclaimed in excitement over a new airplane model for his growing collection, Marc's eyes wide with awe as he carefully flipped the stiff pages of a sketch book, a box of silk colored pencils on his lap.

Vivi ran to Seth and kissed his cheek after opening his gift, her small hands clutching a brown leather journal with her name engraved in silver on the bottom right hand corner, a small heart shaped lock holding it close.

Zaky grinned over the new tub of legos and matchbox cars but really, there was no way anything could beat the surfboard on his lap.

"Ho! Ho! Ho!"

"Mou!"

Emmie scrambled off her father's lap, her teddy bear tumbling to the floor as she ran towards the opening door, Embry dropping the gifts he held in time to swing her up into his arms, laughing as she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed with all she was worth.

"I'm happy to see you too, Princess," Embry kissed her round cheek before looking down at the strewn boxes at his feet, "Good thing nothing's breakable."

"About time you got here," Seth easily pulled Rose into his lap, moving a bit closer to the tree to make room for Embry on the floor, "Rick had to coax Emmie to open one of her gifts."

Emmie pulled back to look into Embry's brown eyes as she grinned excitedly, "_Giagia_ and _Pappoús_ got me a ladybug house!"

"Really," Embry laughed as he settled her on his lap, twisting his torso to grab the gifts on the floor and pile them beside him, "Did it come with ladybugs?"

"Those are arriving in February," Leah let out a sigh as Emmie clapped her hands, looking down to watch Alyx as he crawled across the living room rug, grabbing a large piece of bright wrapping paper before sitting back on his bottom, one little foot tucked under as he flapped his arms, giggling at the crinkly sound the paper made.

"Now that I'm here," Embry picked up a box, placing it on his lap as he smiled at Emmie, "This one's for you, Princess."

"Yay," Emmie clapped her hands again before leaning forward to rip into her gift.

"Alyx, no," Leah got off the couch, her round belly making her slightly unbalanced as she crouched down to take the paper her baby boy was shoving into his mouth, his little hands gripping tight as he attempted to wrestle it away from her, "You can't eat paper, baby. It'll make you sick."

Andrey leaned forward to grab his toes, babbling to his brother who turned to look up at him, his little nose scrunching up before looking up at his mother with a dimpled grin and letting go.

Kissing his forehead, she was about to push herself to her feet when he beat her to it, his little hands splayed on the floor to push himself onto his feet, wobbling slightly as he straightened up.

Leah's mouth fell open in surprise as he grinned up at her, Andrey clapping his little hands in a show of support as he bounced on Sue's lap.

"Oh my," Leah's eyes filled with tears as she bit her lip, Alyx crouching down, his little hands on the rug before he straightened up again, swaying as he worked on keeping his balance, "My baby's standing on his own! Rick, look!"

"I see him, love," Rick's voice was slightly thick –the only outward sign of how proud he was to watch his baby as he took one wobbly step forward.

Andrey pointed at his brother with a giggle, tilting his head back to grin up at his grandmother before looking back at Alyx.

Emmie let out a squeal, Alyx jerking in surprise as he lost his balance, falling back onto his diapered bottom, his eyes wide as he looked at his sister, the shock on his chubby face morphing into a look of joy.

For some strange reason, the twins loved seeing their older sister excited…any kind of excited.

"What is that," Seth asked as he watched his niece trace a little finger over a flower design carved into a dark wooden rectangle set on another piece of wood, same size and thickness, two black Velcro straps holding them together.

"A flower press," Embry watched as Emmie opened the cloth bag that came with the press, her little hands pulling out a packet of botanical paper and colorful cardstock along with a couple of sheets of stickers and several packets of flower seeds, "We used one during the crafts time at the park up in Seattle –Emmie really liked it."

"I have a garden," Emmie held up the seed packets in her little hands, her eyes bright as she looked at her mother, "Look mama! I have flowers!"

"Yes you do, baby," Leah smiled at her daughter as she pulled Alyx into her arms –he had crawled over to where she was still kneeling –his little feet rappelling up her belly so he could snuggle his face into her neck, tangling a small hand in her hair, "Spring time is going to be busy next year."

Rick grinned at his wife as she sat back, moving her legs from under her to sit cross-legged on the floor, "Let Seth take care of the surfing lessons, I'll chase Andrey and Alyx and you can work on the flower beds with Emmie."

Leah laughed at that, Alyx pulling back to look at her, bright eyed as he reached up to touch her face, his little fingers squeezing her nose as he placed a rather exuberant and wet open mouthed kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you, baby," Leah kissed his small nose, laughing when he tried to do the same but ended up with her nose in his mouth instead.

Seth rested his chin on Rose's shoulder, his arms wrapped around her as he watched his niece open another gift –the fourth one in a row, all from Embry, "Did you bring any gifts for the rest of us?"

Embry looked up from watching Emmie's awed face as she flipped through a thick book on butterflies, "Ah, dude, I forgot yours back in Seattle."

"That means he didn't get you one," Rose leaned her head back to grin at Seth, reaching up to squeeze the back of his neck.

Embry picked up a small squared box wrapped in shiny silver paper with a red bow and handed it to Rose, "This one's yours."

"You forgot mine but remembered hers?"

"She's my best friend."

"What the hell am I? Chopped liver?"

Embry's mouth spread into a grin, "That two year hiatus put you under Rose."

"Ah," Seth grinned as he gave his wife's small waist a squeeze, "Well, then, no problem with that, considering I like being under my Rose."

They all laughed –not the kids, they were all too busy playing with their toys –as Rose's face flushed, Seth giving a yelp at the stinging pinch she gave his arm.

"Mou," Emmie reached up to tug Embry's face down with her little hand, "I want to be your best friend."

"You are, Princess," Embry pressed a kiss on her forehead, his fingers cupping her small face as he smiled into her bright blue eyes, "You're my best friend, my sunshine, my beautiful flower, my bright butterfly and the only one that makes my world go round."

Emmie's small face brightened with joy as she scrambled to stand on his lap, throwing her small arms around his neck and giving it a hard squeeze, "You're my bestest friend too!"

* * *

_Dublin, Ireland  
December 31__st__, 10:45PM_

The air was cold and sharp as she stepped out of the hotel, pulling the lapels of her jacket tight as she stomped her booted feet a few times.

"Taking a walk?"

She looked to her left, catching a glimpse of a lighted cigarette being flicked into a snowdrift as he stepped out into the light, his dark brown eyes studying her face.

"I needed the fresh air…it's getting crowded in there and the guys are doing their own thing, which means lots of girls," Julie pulled out her red mittens from the pocket of her jacket, "You shouldn't smoke. It's not good for your voice."

"I don't smoke," Lian moved closer, reaching out to take the ends of the red scarf hanging around her neck, wrapping them around her exposed throat before tucking the fringed ends into the collar of her jacket, "I light cigarettes whenever I have something to think about. My grandfather used to smoke…he was a very wise man…always gave me good advice up until he died of lung cancer a few years ago."

"Second hand smoke can kill you," Julie slipped her hands into her pockets, letting out a breath that plumed into a cloud before her as she looked up at the bright moon hanging high up in the dark sky.

"That would require someone breathing it in and then blowing it into my face," Lian rubbed his hands together before reaching into his pocket for his black leather gloves, "Mind if I tag along? A girl shouldn't walk the streets of Dublin at night alone."

"I suppose," Julie hunched her shoulders as she turned right, walking several blocks in silence with Lian next to her.

"You got that sad little girl look on your face again," Lian's voice had a deep timbre to it that Julie had started to recognize as anger –she didn't get why he got angry whenever she got sad but she had finally gotten a handle on how to deflect the onslaught of heated emotion, "I'm missing my family. This is the first time I've spent the holidays away from them."

"What would you be doing," Lian slid his gloved hands into his pockets as he kicked a snowdrift before turning a corner –he had a particular destination in mind that he knew would make her smile, "If you were with them."

"Mom, Lyn and I…" Julie reached up to swipe at a curl tickling her nose, awkwardly tucking it behind an ear before returning her hand into her warm pocket, "We snuggle in the couch under this big ratty blanket that's seen better days. Watch the Dick Clark Rocking Eve show on TV…countdown as the ball drops in Times Square."

Lian chuckled as he reached out to take her elbow, ushering her across the cobbled street, the silence around them almost surreal as a snowflake here and there began to make its way down from the dark sky, "Sounds like fun."

"Yeah," Julie rubbed her nose, looking around the empty street, the lighted lampposts creating pools of light along the snow dusted street as they kept walking, "Last year, I flew them up to New York. We went to Times Square to ring in the New Year…we were there for hours, it was cold and there were so many people…Lyn said as much as she enjoyed it, she preferred celebrating from the comfort of our couch."

Lian's laughter was visible as the moisture clouded in the cold air before it dissipated, "My first New Year's Eve in New York, I went to Times Square to celebrate…that was it for me. It's the same thing every year…and it's just…too impersonal...too lonely."

"You don't go home for the holidays?"

Lian shrugged as he reached out to place his hand on her back, guiding her around another corner, a distant sound of a honking car letting them know the rapture hadn't occurred and left them behind –it was that quiet, "My father wasn't happy with my choice of careers…we were never really that close, anyway, Dad and I. I'm a lot closer to my mother and my sister…and after I left for New York, Dad just…he didn't make it easy whenever I came home so I just…stopped."

"I'm sorry," Julie blinked away tears, thinking how sad it was that he didn't have the close relationship with his family that she had with hers, "It must have been hard, making the choice to cut yourself from them."

"Yeah…I miss mom…and Emily," Lian saw her arch an eyebrow, "My older sister. She's married…with three kids. I call them every week…send Christmas and birthday gifts…but I know it's not enough for them."

"It's not enough for you," Julie touched his arm in a show of comfort before pulling back, her cheeks flushing slightly as she tucked her chin into her scarf.

Lian didn't say anything to that, simply kept walking, the silence comfortable in an odd sort of way as they came up to a small foot bridge over a frozen creek, his hand shooting out to keep her stable as her foot slipped on a patch of ice, "Careful. The rocks here are slippery. It'll be better if you hold on."

Julie nodded, slipping her arm into his, her other hand gripping his forearm tightly as they made their way across the arched bridge, "You do know how to get back, right? I have no sense of direction."

"I would think for a girl with mermaids in her family tree, direction would be no problem," Lian teased as he stopped at the halfway point of the bridge, pulling his hand out of his pocket to wrap it around her waist and turn her around.

"There's a big difference between finding your way around on land versus the bottom of the ocean," Julie stomped her feet as she raised her mitten covered hands to her face, blowing into them to try to warm her cheeks as she looked up at him, "Why are we stopping?"

"Look," Lian motioned with his chin, standing behind her, his hands on either side of her waist as she turned to look, her breath coming out in a gasp at the beauty that spread out before her.

The bright moonlight turned the frozen creek into a ribbon of diamonds, the snow dancing as it fell softly onto the ground, miles and miles of pristine white blanketing the ground, a cluster of dark green pine trees standing a few yards away, tiny lit candles on the branches making the snow glitter.

"It's beautiful," Julie whispered, blinking as a gust of air kicked up a swirl of snow, the small flames in the trees fluttering without going out, "How did –"

"I've been here before –several times, actually, for Christmas and the New Year," Lian stepped closer, his chest brushing her back as he placed his chin on top of her head, his hands staying where they were, "There's a family that lives several miles at the other side of those trees…they light the candles before midnight…the father comes out after their celebrations to blow them all out."

"You've stayed here that long," Julie kept her arms crossed over her chest, fighting the urge to lean back into him.

"It's a good thinking spot."

They stood there in silence, their breathing synchronizing without much effort as the falling snow began to speed up a little, covering them in a fine dust before Julie shivered, moving away from him as she gave him a smile, "Maybe this time, we can save him the trip."

"We can't blow them out until after midnight," Lian watched her as she carefully made her way towards the trees, a few seconds passing before he followed after her at a leisurely pace, "It's Irish magic –apparently, each candle is for each day of the New Year…for good fortune, good health, happiness, success…if we blow them out before midnight, none of it will come true."

"We won't ruin their year," Julie let out a soft breath as she reached the cluster of trees –ten to be exact –reaching out to gently touch the soft green nettles before looking over her shoulder at him, "We'll wait 'til then."

Lian smiled as he stood just outside the small forest, watching as she walked in between the trees, the entire scene magical as he caught a glimpse of her every once in a while, "I guess we wait."

Julie breathed in the fresh smell of pine, the cold air painful in her lungs but so sweet as she walked around a small pine tree, about six feet tall, smiling at the simple paper angel tucked into one of its boughs, "Lian."

He tilted his head, hands in the pockets of his jacket as he watched her disappear between two trees, "Yes."

"Have you ever had a broken heart?"

His eyebrows rose in surprise as he watched her move around a tree several feet away from him, her purple eyes bright as the flames of the candles lit her face, studying her for a few seconds, "Why do you ask?"

"Sometimes you seem…" Julie touched a small wooden snowflake that had been hung on a tree branch before moving again, Lian disappearing from view making it easier for her to continue, "So impatient with me…whenever you see me…struggling with my own…I just wondered if you've ever experienced one."

Lian let out a long breath, watching as she continued to weave her way around the trees, occasionally touching an ornament tucked into the branches among the candles.

"I moved to New York when I was eighteen," Lian looked up at the sky, finally moving from where he was standing –his feet were getting cold, "I was…lonely and real homesick."

Julie watched him as he walked around the outside of the tree perimeter, his steps slow as he continued with his story, "Camille…she was a sweet girl; reminded me of home. We dated…she never liked going to any of the public appearances Jerry set up for me, didn't like having me spend money on her. She was simple…sweet and funny…and I fell hard."

Reaching out, he straightened a red ribbon on one of the trees, watching as Julie moved between the trees, moving in juxtaposition to where he was –two magnets moving slowly, irrevocably towards each other, "I asked her to marry me and she said yes. I was twenty years old, quickly rising to the top of the best in the music business…making more money than I knew what the hell to do with. I was on top of the world…and I was crazy in love with her."

Julie moved around a tree, watching as he stepped into the small forest, feeling the whole world shrink to just them…just that small place…like they were inside their very own snow globe.

They weaved around the trees, staying away from each other without realizing that they were both making their way towards the small clearing in the middle, the trees a ring around this pristine untouched spot where only two can stand.

"The wedding was…small and out of the public eye," Lian straightened a small candle that was in danger of toppling off the bough it was sitting on, "We went to Italy for our honeymoon…a month after we got back…"

Lian moved around a ten foot tree, able to see Julie out of the corner of his eye as she moved between two smaller trees, both towering at least two feet above her head, the candlelight bringing out the red in her hair.

She stopped, both of them standing at opposite sides of that small clearing, eyes locked as Lian slid his hands into his pockets, his shoulders hunched and eyes dark with the memory he was sharing, "She handed me divorce papers…told me there had been a time when I could have given her everything…before I had everything…she told me I no longer had anything of value to offer except money and fame…and she wanted more than that."

Julie swallowed back the tears, a lump in her throat making it difficult as she watched his face: there was no expression of pain or sorrow, not even anger…but looking into his eyes, she could see it there –the echo of a bleeding, broken heart that had somehow survived by growing hard and impenetrable.

"It didn't stop her, of course," Lian tilted his head as he reached out to touch a small angel made of tissue paper tucked between the boughs, moving it slightly to the left to get it away from one of the lit candles, "From taking half of everything I make…and continue to make."

"That seems unfair," Julie spoke up for the first time, her voice soft as he swung his head to look at her, their eyes locking on each other as snow continued to fall.

"That's the way the judge ruled it," Lian dropped his hand to his side, feeling suddenly drained, completely empty –he had never before shared his own sob story with others, "Until one of us gets married again, she will continue to profit from my success."

They stared at each other, their breathing visible in the sharp cold air as the sound of bells began to ring across the clearing along with far-off shouts and cheers.

Simultaneously, they stepped forward, eyes on each other as the bells continued to ring.

Slowly, giving her time to move away, he reached up to cup her face, his thumb brushing a snowflake from her eyelashes as he gave her a soft smile, "Happy New Year, July."

She swallowed, reaching up to place her hand on his chest over his beating heart, her breath short and shallow as she tilted her head back, "Happy New Year, Lian."

They stared at each other for a few more seconds before he dipped his head, their cold lips touching softly, tenderly, breaths mingling as the bells gave one last ring, the echo of them undulating in the night air before silence fell once more.

Pulling back slowly, he stared into her wide purple eyes, wondering for the first time in years if it were possible –if it were possible to fully trust and love a woman again.

* * *

_La Push, Washington  
11:28PM_

The last day of the year and it had been exhausting.

Tucking the pink blankets around a sleeping Vivi, he smiled as he leaned down to kiss her forehead, the little girl mumbling before she turned to the side, her arms wrapped tight around Emmett.

Stroking his thumb over her cheek, he smiled before reaching to turn off the lamp, moving out of the room and softly closing the bedroom door behind him.

Heading down the hall, he gave Marc's door a soft knock before opening it, looking around the room as soon as he saw the empty bed, swallowing back a laugh as he caught sight of Marc asleep on the floor next to Einstein's doggie bed, the puppy's head resting on Marc's stomach –poor boy was so exhausted, he had fallen asleep while doing his nightly ritual with Einstein.

Quietly moving across the room, he leaned down to pick up Marc, pulling back in surprise when Einstein growled at him, lifting his head to stare at him as he placed a paw on Marc's chest.

Shaking his head, Seth narrowed his eyes on the blue-tick hound, keeping eye contact until the dog let out a soft whine, wiggling back into his plush bed before rolling onto his back.

"Good boy, Einstein," Seth gave his soft belly a rub before picking Marc up off the floor, the little boy jerking awake, "Wha-"

"It's okay, Marc," Seth shifted him up into his arms, Marc's small head settling on his shoulder, "Go back to sleep."

He mumbled something Seth didn't quite catch before letting out a soft breath, his little body relaxing back into sleep.

Pulling back the comforter and sheet, he gently lowered him onto the bed, making sure not to wake him up as he tucked the blankets around him, brushing back the dark hair from his forehead.

Studying his sleeping face, Seth let out a quiet sigh as he leaned forward to kiss his forehead –Marc wasn't much for displays of affection while awake so he took this opportunity to show his love for the boy.

Moving across the floor, he closed the open shades over the window-wall before crouching down to scratch Einstein between the ears, the puppy letting out a soft bark as he wagged his tail, his dark brown eyes closing in pleasure, "You're a good dog, Einstein. Sorry I haven't been very nice. I'll try harder, okay?"

Einstein let out another soft bark, lifting his head to lick Seth's hand, his whole body stretching in pleasure as Seth scratched his back.

Giving him one last scratch, he patted the puppy's head before straightening up, "Sleep tight, Einstein."

His steps were silent as he exited the room, the door closing softly behind him before he made his way towards the stairs and down to the living room, finding Rose asleep on the couch.

She had told him she would wait while he tucked in the twins, along with two cups of hot chocolate so they could ring in the New Year together but apparently, the events of the day had exhausted her too.

Taking the cups from the coffee table, he went into the kitchen and dumped out the now cold chocolate, rinsing out the cups before drying his hands and returning to the living room.

Brushing her hair away from her face, he kissed her soft lips before lifting her into his arms, kissing her cheek as she burrowed her face into his chest, a small hand gripping his t-shirt as he made his way to their bedroom.

Laying her in the middle of the bed –she had already pulled back the comforter and sheets, apparently –he kissed her forehead before straightening up, heading into the bathroom to brush his teeth and take care of business.

Pulling on his pajama pants, he picked up his clothes and tossed them into the hamper, turning the light off before making his way across the dark room, the glowing numbers of the clock letting him know there were five minutes left before midnight.

Climbing into bed, he reached for his wife, pulling her small warm body into his arms as he kissed her face, his lips moving over her forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks, chin, finally ending at her lips.

Rose hummed, her lips blooming open as he slipped his tongue past them, one of his hands moving down her back, his other arm wrapped around her shoulders, fingers tangled in her long hair.

Moving her arms around his waist, she opened her eyes to look into his, blinking a few times as he moved his lips over her jaw and down her throat, "Is it midnight yet?"

Looking over his shoulder at the clock, he turned to look at her, sliding his hand under the long sleeve top she wore, "Three more minutes."

"Mhm," Rose kissed his shoulder, burying her face into his throat as she took in a deep breath, letting it out in a rush as he slid his thigh between her legs, "What are we to do until then?"

"I don't know," Seth moved his mouth down her throat, kissing her collarbone before sliding his tongue over her freckled skin as he rolled her onto her back, his hands pulling the cotton top up her torso and over her head, "We can play a game."

Rose giggled as she lightly dragged her fingers up his back, his muscles tightening and loosening under her touch as he moved his fingers over her chest, "What game? Connect the dots?"

"That's my favorite game," Seth smiled at her before lowering his head to place a kiss against her sternum, his nose drawing a line down between her breasts before he retraced the line back up with the tip of his tongue, "You in?"

Rose wiggled under him as she slid a hand up the back of his neck, her fingers spearing into his hair, "Of course."

Seth smiled against her skin, moving his hands over her ribs and down to her hips as he placed a string of kisses over the slope of her breast before closing his mouth over the tip, sucking hard enough to make her cry out, her hips rising off the mattress.

Making his way down her body, he kissed every freckle he could see, sliding her pajama bottoms down her long legs, his fingers gently squeezing and stroking, his mouth moving over her stomach before he dipped his tongue into her bellybutton.

Tossing the pajama pants aside, he gripped her hips with his hands, moving his mouth to her hip, his teeth scraping against her skin, leaving behind a love bite right over his name tattooed into her hip.

Rose arched her back, her fingers gripping the bed sheets as he closed his mouth over her, sucking a few times before stroking his tongue over the sensitive bundle of nerves.

He breathed her in, the spicy-sweet smell of her arousal pushing his desire to a higher plane as he slid his tongue over her opening, her Spanish pleas falling on deaf ears as he feasted on her.

Reaching down, she fisted her hand on his hair, tugging hard until he looked up, moving over her body to settle between her legs, somehow having divested himself of his pajama bottoms without her realizing it.

"Love me," Rose whispered against his mouth, tasting herself on his lips as he deepened the kiss, his hands pulling her hips up as he sank into her.

"Always," Seth whispered as they broke the kiss, peppering kisses over her face before he let go of her hips to wrap his arms around her, his hips moving of their own accord as she wrapped her long legs around him, her heels digging into the small of his back spurring him on.

Rose could feel herself rushing towards the glorious fall, her arms moving over his shoulders as she moved her mouth over his, their tongues dancing in a slow rhythm that matched their bodies.

Before long, they were both racing towards the finish line, their souls rocketing into outer space as they fell upward.

It was a trip along the Milky Way of their universe, the stars streaking by in colors as they held on tight to each other, hearts racing and bodies slick with sweat as they tried to catch their breath, slowly coming back to earth.

Realizing he was probably crushing her, he rolled onto his back, holding her in his arms, their bodies staying connected as he reached up to brush back strands of hair from her face.

Letting out a sigh, Rose turned her head to place a kiss on his chest, taking in a deep breath of their mingled scents before looking up into his eyes with a soft smile, "Feliz año nuevo, Seth."

He smiled, lifting his head to kiss her swollen lips before whispering against them, "Feliz año nuevo, Rosa Maria."


	17. Chapter 15

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I tried keeping it short but couldn't cut off more than I did. When you get to the song part, look up the version of Cake -I Will Survive...that's the one their singing and the version I prefer the most. Also, this chapter is all Lian and Julie so if you're not a fan of them, feel free to skip the chapter and if you are a fan of Julie and Lian, then enjoy the new stage of their story...it's an interesting development, if I do say so myself.  
**

**Gaby -I love you! Lots and lots of love  
**

**Ses -I miscounted...this is ten! Oh, goodness, it's going to be great when I start getting your reviews. Hope all is well at home with friends, work and school.  
**

**Gianna, Lette, Chelsea -you three are wonderful, leaving me reviews, however small or big, with every chapter. It makes me very happy, really it does.  
**

**All my other reviewers -I love you when you review because I know you're reading...so if you read but don't review, drop a review...even a short one is much appreciated.  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and review, review, REVIEW!  
**

**Chapter Fifteen**

_Hong Kong, China  
January 5__th_

Wiping the back of her hand over her wet cheek, she let out a soft sigh as she observed the view stretched out below her.

Natalie had set them up on one of the top floors of the Eaton Hotel, her room facing west where she could see the hot sun sinking into the Hong Kong skyline, turning the blue sky into a bleeding canvas of reds, golds, oranges and yellows.

Seth would have loved this view –the tall buildings made of glass and steel with the sky reflected off of them, the bright lights flashing neon colors as cars sped by on the streets below, looking like small toys from this height.

Sniffing as she wiped her hand over her face, she looked up at the sound of a knock on the door, "Come in."

"Hey," Lian opened the door, a hand on the frame as he leaned in, "I was wondering if…oh God. Are you crying?"

"I'm sorry," she couldn't help keeping the sarcasm from dripping off every word, "I'll make a better effort at keeping a smile on my face at all times."

Lian blinked, his mouth spreading into a smile as he stepped into the room, "Wow…didn't even need a stiff drink for that one, uh?"

Julie blushed, rubbing the back of her neck, the edges of her tied up hair tickling the back of her hand, "I'm sor –"

"Don't apologize for getting mad," Lian arched an eyebrow as he moved across the large room to stand before her, "To be honest, I've been waiting for you to move on to that stage of the grieving process."

Julie's eyebrows lowered as she crossed her arms over her chest –lately, the urge to move into his arms every time she saw him was shaking up her resolve to protect her heart at all costs, "The what?"

Lian reached up to tuck a loose strand into the hair tie holding her hair into a messy bun, his thumb brushing the sensitive skin behind her ear, "Denial. Grief. Anger. Bargaining. Then, finally, acceptance. Apparently, the stages also fit a situation when you lose something you hold very close to your heart."

"Do they go in that exact order," she looked away from his dark brown eyes, biting her lip as she remembered the humiliation of begging Seth to stay with her.

"No," Lian tilted his head to the side, seeing something in her eyes that let her know she was recalling some memory that probably involved his cousin, "But it's obvious from your songs you've yet to get past the grieving stage."

"Some people have a harder time," Julie took a deep breath, taking a step back as she turned away from the window, "Letting go of what I had thought was special and real isn't as easy as I thought it would be."

Lian watched as she moved around him, her shoulders hunched as waves of sadness rolled off of her, making his gut churn in that all too familiar anger that just added to the urge to bury his fist into Seth's face.

His cousin should have known –probably did know –what an amazing girl July was…and knowing she wasn't meant to be his, he should have kept his hands off her and her heart.

"I got an idea," Lian wrapped his long fingers around her wrist, grabbing the jacket she had tossed over the back of a chair as he pulled her towards the door.

"Where are you taking me," Julie barely had time to grab her key card from the table besides the door, following him down the hall and into the elevator, a giggle escaping her when he waggled his eyebrows at her, "You'll see."

He handed her the jacket as soon as they hit the lobby, the charcoal gray double knit sweater he wore just fine for him as they stepped out into the cool night air.

Lian let out a sharp whistle as he flagged down a cab, opening the back door and ushering her in as soon as it pulled up to the curb.

Handing the cabby some cash, he simply said, "Red Box, please."

"Take you to Red Box," the cabby said in heavily accented English as he nodded his head several times, driving out into traffic as soon as Lian closed the door behind him.

"What's Red Box," Julie gave him a slightly suspicious look, her knuckles white as she gripped the seat, the cabbie switching lanes –the drivers in Hong Kong were insane, more so than the ones in New York…probably because the ones here had no regard for traffic laws.

Lian looked at her face, laughing at the way her eyes widened as the cabbie took a left turn a little too sharply, "A karaoke bar."

"What," Julie's voice came out high pitched, Lian's arm across her chest keeping her from flying into the front seat as the cabbie slammed on the brakes, "Are you serious?"

"Yep."

"We here," the cabbie looked over his shoulder at them, his smile getting bigger as Lian handed him several more bills, nodding as they stepped out of the car, "I wait?"

"No," Lian shook his head, keeping Julie's hand in his as he closed the door, towing her along into the crowded bar, "Have you ever done karaoke?"

"I've never had too," she yelled over the noise as he led her towards the bar, not letting go of her hand as he signaled for the bartender, "I have an eidetic memory when it comes to music."

Lian laughed as he pulled her to stand next to him, sliding his arm around her back as the bartender placed two small glasses in front of them, "Here. Don't sniff it, just toss it back."

"What is it," Julie picked up the glass, eyeing the clear liquid before looking up at him, watching as he tossed his shot back, shaking his head as he let out a cough.

Leaning his head down, she shivered as his breath tickled her ear, his voice husky and slightly raspy, "Bai jiu (_by-joe_)…it tastes like vodka but the smell will make you gag. Go on, bottoms up."

Staring into his dark brown eyes, she chuckled after a few seconds, tossing the shot back, the liquor burning a path down her throat.

Coughing as she set the glass on the bar, she shook her head when the bartender refilled the glasses, "Oh God…Lian, I think I just burned my vocal chords."

He laughed, handing her the shot glass before picking his own up, his lips brushing her ear as he told her, "Second one goes down easier. Come on, July, drink up. You'll need your inner bitch for this to work."

Laughing, she tapped her glass against his, both of them tossing back the shots simultaneously, letting out a shuddering breath as the bartender poured them a third round, "Lian, I can't! It'll kill me!"

Lian laughed as he picked up his shot, his nose brushing the hair on her temple as he said with a smile, "Last one, sweetheart…before we get on stage."

She blinked in surprise at the endearment but didn't say anything, tossing back the shot as Lian set his empty glass on the counter, stopping the bartender from refilling it before pulling out several bills from his pocket and handing them over.

Leaving her empty shot glass behind, she let him lead her through the crowded club, laughing as she stumbled every few steps, not sure if whatever Lian had planned would actually work when she was far on the opposite side of sober.

Reaching the edge of the stage, he leaned over a table nearby to say something to the guy behind it, pulling a bill out of his pocket and sliding it across the surface.

The guy nodded as he took the bill, pointing at the stage where a Japanese guy was singing an Aerosmith song –quite out of key, mind you –saying something to Lian as he pointed at an empty chair by a small round table.

Moving to the chair, he sat down and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist as she unthinkingly draped an arm over his broad shoulders, "We'll be next after this guy."

"What are we singing," Julie leaned closer to ask, the smell of his subtle cologne making her more aware of the way it felt to have him hold her this way.

"It's a surprise," Lian said into her ear, his nose brushing her skin as he dipped his head to press a kiss to the side of her neck, her pulse leaping under his lips.

"Band's pretty good, uh?"

Julie nodded, swallowing hard before she cleared her throat, her usually smooth voice husky from the bai jiu (_by-joe_), "The guy sucks, though."

Lian laughed, his breath brushing over her throat as the people politely clapped at the end of the song, "You'd make a horrible music critic."

The guy behind the table waved them over, Lian laughing when he had to steady her as they stood up.

Giving her hip a squeeze, he bounded up onto the two foot high stage, leaning over to talk to the bass guitarist who gave him a few nods before handing him his guitar and stepping off the stage, the other band members nodding to whatever it was he was saying as the people in the crowd began buzzing, pointing at Lian and speaking to each other in excitement.

Julie laughed as he stepped up to the microphone, launching right into the song without introducing himself.

Recognizing the beginning notes of the guitar and drums long before he started singing, her heart thumped hard against her ribs as he smiled at her –dear God, but the boy had a beautiful smile!

Julie let out another laugh as he stretched out his arm, crooking his forefinger for her to join him on stage.

_At first I was afraid  
I was petrified  
I kept thinking I could never live without you  
By my side_

She was rather impressed with herself, being able to get to the stage as well as on it without falling over, placing a hand on the electric guitarist's arm, "_Wǒ néng jiè nǐ de jítā_?" ***Can I borrow your guitar?***

_But then I spent so many nights  
Just thinking how you've done me wrong  
I grew strong  
I learned how to get along_

The guy nodded with a grin, lifting the strap over his head before handing it to her as Lian continued to sing, his eyes on her the entire time.

Stepping onto the other side of the microphone he was using, she seamlessly –almost as if they've been singing together for years –joined him as she played the well tuned guitar:

_And so you're back  
From outer space  
I just walked in to find you  
Here without that look upon your face_

The people in the club were going crazy, the clapping and cheering almost drowning them but the sound tech raised the volume as they continued singing, their eyes never leaving each other:

_I should have changed that fucking lock  
I should have made you leave your key  
If I had known for just one second  
You'd be back to bother me_

_Oh now go  
Walk out the door  
Just turn around now  
You're not welcome anymore_

_Weren't you the one  
Who tried to break me with desire?  
Did you think I'd crumble?  
Did you think I'd lay down and die?_

_Oh not I  
I will survive  
Yeah, as long as I know how to love  
I know I'll be alive_

_I've got all my life to live  
I've got all my love to give  
I will survive_

_I will survive  
Yeah, yeah…_

Julie's smile grew as her long fingers jumped from chord to chord, the electric guitar solo sounding amazing as she drew out the treble.

Lian watched her with a grin, enjoying the obvious enthusiasm on her face, thinking how beautiful she looked as she finished the solo, stepping forward as they both picked up the lyrics, his baritone easily complimented by her contralto.

_It took all the strength I had  
Just not to fall apart_

_I'm trying hard to mend the pieces  
Of my broken heart  
And I spent oh so many nights  
Just feeling sorry for myself_

_I used to cry  
But now I hold my head up high_

_And you see me  
With somebody new  
I'm not that stupid little person  
Still in love with you_

_And so  
You thought you'd just drop by  
And you expect me to be free  
But now I'm saving all my lovin'  
for someone whose lovin' me…_

* * *

_3:45AM_

They stumbled out of the elevator onto the hallway, their attempts at keeping the laughter hushed failing as Lian held on to her waist to keep her from falling over her own two feet.

"The floor's actually moving on me," Julie said with a giggle as she headed down the hallway towards her room.

"Hey, I only bought you the first three drinks," Lian tugged her around, his arms closing around her as she stumbled into him, "And your room is at the other end of the hallway."

Julie laughed, gripping his forearm to keep herself steady on her feet, "Are you sure?"

"How many _sa-kes_ did you have," he asked with a laugh, his hand reaching out to lay flat against the wall to break their fall as she tripped over his feet.

"I lost count…they just kept buying me drinks," Julie squinted her eyes as he stopped before a door, reaching up to point at the number on the door, "This is my room?"

"Yes," Lian placed his hands on either side of the door frame, needing to hold on to something stable considering the floor wasn't any steadier for him, "You didn't have to accept, you know."

Julie gave him a wide-eyed look of shock as she leaned against the door to keep from swaying, "That would have been culturally insulting!"

"So will the hangover you'll have when you wake up."

"I don't get hangovers," Julie slipped her hands into the pockets of her jacket, searching for the key card, "And I can't find my key."

"Oh, baby, believe me," Lian leaned in closer, the tip of his nose brushing against her temple as he slid his right hand over her hip and into the back pocket of her jeans, his smiling lips tickling her ear, "After all you've drank, you'll be getting a hangover."

Julie's breath hitched as she looked up at him, wide eyes showing surprise to find his face so close to hers, her body flushing as he pulled her closer, the large hand inside her back pocket giving her bottom a gentle squeeze.

"Lian…"

"Mhm," he hummed as he slid his nose over her cheekbone, his lips following, her breath stirring the short hairs at the back of his neck as he moved his mouth down her throat.

A moan escaped her as she placed her hands against his broad chest, her fingers fisting into the fine wool of his sweater.

Pulling her body flush against his, he moved his head back to look into her nearly black eyes, "Why are you shaking?"

Julie tried to take a deep breath but her lungs weren't capable of it as she bit her lip, unable to stop her body from shaking against his, "It's…it's been too long…since…since I've been touched…a-and held."

He dipped his head to claim her mouth, their tongues dueling for control as he pushed her up against the door, his desire for her hard against her stomach as he wedged a thigh between her legs, a hand moving down her back to slide under the cashmere sweater she was wearing.

"I want to touch you," Lian whispered against her mouth, tugging at her bottom lip with his teeth as he slid his other hand out of her back pocket, the key card between his fingers, "All over…again and again…I want to feel your skin against mine…to taste you…drown myself in you…"

Julie groaned, tilting her head back as he moved his mouth over her jaw and down her throat, his hand under her sweater moving up her smooth back, the calluses on his fingertips catching on the silk of her camisole as a trail of goosebumps popped up along her spine.

Holding her tight against the door, he slid the key into the slot, their lips locked as their tongues stroked each other, his fast reflexes –despite the alcohol in his system –saving them from ending up on the floor.

"Lian," she moaned his name into his mouth as he tossed the key towards the table, not caring where it landed as the door swung shut behind them.

Pulling her jacket off her shoulders and down her arms, he placed sweet little kisses all over her face, tracing her hairline with his lips as he tossed the jacket aside, his hands gripping her hips and pulling her into him.

"I like the way you say my name," he whispered into her ear as he slid his fingers into the waistband of her tight jeans, teeth scraping the edge of her ear before he kissed the soft skin behind it, "But just for the record…it's Julian."

She sucked in a sharp breath, his name so damn sexy she was getting wet enough to soak right through her jeans.

"Julian…" his whispered name was soft against his neck as he nudged the wide collar of her sweater aside, his teeth grazing the soft skin over her shoulder.

She was needy –he could hear it in her voice, could feel it in the way she moved in his arms, her hands sliding over his shoulders and around his neck to tug at his hair.

She was needy, alright, and so was he.

He needed to hear her say his name again, to feel her body vibrate until it sang for him and him alone.

Moving them across the floor towards the big king sized bed, he lifted his head to kiss her swollen lips, his teeth nipping the tender flesh at the corners, "Say it again."

She didn't need to ask what he meant, she already knew and as he slid his fingers to the snap of her jeans, she was more than happy to comply.

"Julian…

"Julian…

"Julian…"

* * *

_10:45AM_

Julie groaned as she rolled over, the pounding in her head making her feel nauseous as she cracked her eyes open, shutting them quickly when the light coming through the open window pierced right into her pounding brain, a blinding flash of pain having her groan again.

A soft chuckle sounded in the room, her lungs seizing as the events of the night before crashed over her –oh God, what had she done?

Had she been so damned soused she actually went to bed with Lian 'Asshole Extraordinaire' Young?

Opening her eyes slowly, she could make out the blurry outline of someone sitting on the chair facing the window, bare feet on the ottoman as he drank a cup of coffee, the strong aroma making her swallow back the urge to throw up.

Moving slowly to keep the motion sickness to a minimum, she moved her hands under the bedsheet, feeling confused when she felt the silk of the camisole she had worn under her sweater, her jeans undone but still very much on her –as were her underwear.

"What –" she swallowed in an attempt to wet her dry mouth, pushing herself up onto her elbows, her long hair spilling in tangled curls over her shoulders, "What happened last night?"

"Nothing," Lian said in a low voice, setting his coffee cup on the small table beside the chair as he lowered his feet unto the ground, getting up with such grace it made Julie's breath hitch, "I'm not the kind of guy that takes advantage of a girl when she's soused."

"Oh God," Julie blushed, reaching up to touch her long fingers against her aching head, "Did I say that out loud?"

Lian smiled as he sat at the side of the bed, leaning over her while placing a hand on the mattress next to her other hip, holding out his hand, "I thought you'd sleep better with your jeans undone. Here, take these."

"What are they," she asked as she held out her open hand, two blue and white pills tumbling onto her palm before he reached for a glass on the bedside table, "Advil. And this is water…from a bottle."

She gave him a small smile, placing the pills on her tongue before taking the cool glass from him, an electric shock running up her arm as their fingers touched.

Drinking half of the water, she let out a soft breath as he reached up to smooth his thumb over her bottom lip, wiping away at a drop, "Drink it all down –your body's seriously dehydrated right now."

"Okay," her capitulation came out in a soft whisper before she tipped the glass back.

Setting the empty glass on the bedside table, her face flushed as she realized he was within kissing distance, "I have horrible morning breath."

"Mhm," he hummed in agreement, "You smell like a distillery."

Despite his acquiesce he moved his lips over hers, his tongue touching her bottom lip before sliding into her mouth, gently teasing hers before pulling back to smile at her, "And taste like one too."

She blushed as her lips spread into a shy smile, "You taste like my toothpaste…did you use my toothbrush?"

He grinned, placing a kiss on her forehead before standing up, "I'm going to my room to take a shower. I'll order you some lunch from room service."

Julie groaned at the thought of food.

"You need to eat something, July," he reached down to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing over her cheek as he smiled at her, "At least some toast. It'll help settle your stomach."

"Will you join me…for lunch," she blurted out, her heart beating hard against her ribs as she looked up at him.

A few seconds passed before he gave her that gorgeous smile of his, "Sure."

* * *

She was vigorously rubbing a towel over her wet hair when a knock on the door sounded, "Room service."

Wrapping the towel around the ends, she moved across the room, opening the door to find a bellboy at the other side of the door, "You can just put it on the table over there."

"Yes ma'am," he nodded politely as he moved the cart into the room, quickly and efficiently placing several plates onto the table, Julie wondering how much food Lian had ordered for just the two of them as she took her wallet from the desk drawer, "Here's a tip."

"No, no," he shook his head as he set the cart out of the way, giving her a polite smile as a knock sounded on the door again, "Tip has already been paid. Enjoy your meal."

He opened the door, stepping back to let Lian in as he gave him a polite bow before walking out, quietly closing the door behind him.

"I wasn't entirely sure what you would like for lunch so I ordered a sample of everything," Lian's eyes moved over her, enjoying the way those red skinny jeans looked on her, the turquoise off the shoulder top she wore over a spaghetti strap top the same shade of red as her jeans giving her skin a lustrous sheen.

"I'm not even sure I'll be able to keep down toast," Julie rubbed the ends of her long hair, tossing the wet towel into the hamper in the bathroom before walking out with a hairbrush in one hand, the other trying to undo some nasty tangles, "I love Hong Kong but the water here is horrible for my hair."

Lian chuckled as he moved across the room to sit on the foot of the bed, sliding back as he patted the mattress between his legs, "Sit down and I'll take care of those tangles."

Biting the inside of her cheek, she studied him for a few seconds before moving to sit cross-legged on the bed between his legs, handing him the brush, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Lian gently divided her hair in half, his fingers tugging at the tangles before dividing the halves in half.

"How do you know so many 'go to hell, I'm better off without you' songs?"

Lian laughed softly as he started with the ends of her hair, slowly making his way up as he used the brush and his fingers to work out the knots, "Don't forget I've gone through the grieving stages too."

Julie hummed, closing her eyes as Lian moved the now smooth section of hair over her shoulder before moving on to the next one, a slight tinge of self-deprecation in his voice as he continued, "…after Camille left me, I wrote my fair share of bleeding heart songs but instead of making me feel better, I got more depressed…until one day, I woke up and realized I was so fucking pissed at her. I wrote a good amount of fuck off, hope you die songs after that but nothing as cathartic as last night's song list."

Julie laughed, a shiver running down her spine as he ran his fingers through her hair, his thumb brushing the back of her neck as he patiently worked through the knots of the third section, "Natalie is going to kill us for giving away a free concert."

"We didn't sing any of our own songs," Lian patiently worked on a particularly nasty tangle, his knuckles brushing against the back of her neck with every move, "So there's no breach of contract…and had we refused, the people would have rioted. How do you think that would make Natalie and the label look?"

Julie laughed, feeling the tug of his fingers as well as the brush but no pain, "You're pretty good at brushing a girl's hair."

She couldn't see him but knew he was smiling as he explained, "My older sister has always had long hair and I loved playing with it when I was a kid. I used to make such a tangled mess of it, she taught me how to brush and braid it."

She smiled at the image of Lian as a little boy, small fingers working diligently at completing a simple braid, "I can get a hair tie if you want."

Without thinking, he leaned forward and pressed a smiling kiss against the back of her neck, pulling back to gently run the brush through the last section of hair, "Let me finish this and you can get one."

A few minutes of comfortable silence passed by, Julie closing her eyes as she let out a sigh of contentment, Lian's fingers sliding through her long hair with every other brushstroke.

"There," giving her hair one last stroke with the brush, he set it aside then gave her thigh a gentle pat, "Go get a hair tie and I'll braid your hair."

Hopping off the bed, she moved towards the luggage rack that held her open suitcase, finding the small bag where she kept her hair accessories.

"Why are you packed," Lian watched as she zipped the bag close, taking the red elastic when she handed it to him, his fingers sliding though her long hair as soon as she returned to her spot, "We're not flying out until the sixteenth."

She bit her lip, wondering if she should share her plans with him, letting out a sigh before saying softly, "I asked Natalie for a few extra days between the concert here and the one in Tokyo because I have somewhere to go."

"In China?"

"Yes," Julie kept her head from moving, the tingling on her scalp moving down her body like warm syrup as he slid his fingers through her hair, the gentle tugging and pulling having her bite her lip to stifle a moan before she continued, "My mother asked me to go to Weihai…my grandparents were born there and she's never been –"

"You're Asian," Lian interrupted in surprise, his fingers stilling in her hair as he leaned over her shoulder to look at her face.

"No need to say it that way," Julie teased as she looked at him out of the corner of her eyes, a smile tugging at her full lips, "Have I ever exclaimed in shock that you're Native American?"

"How do you know I'm Native American," Lian slid his fingers under the section of hair he was holding in his right hand, pulling a thin strand over it and under the second one.

"Your facial characteristics," Julie let out a sigh, drawing her knees up to wrap her arms around them, feeling oddly…cherished as he crossed his ankles and moved them under her bare feet, "The cheekbones and straight nose, not to mention the dark hair and copper skin…wouldn't shock me if you showed up wearing a headband and loincloth."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you," he teased, grinning as she laughed, his breath brushing the sensitive skin behind her ear, causing her to shiver, "So where exactly is Meihei?"

"Weihai," she corrected him as his knuckles brushed down her back, her arms tightening around her drawn up legs, "It's up by Germany…I'm flying into Shanghai tomorrow morning –I have an hour layover before I fly into Jinan where I'll take the train to Weihai. My grandfather's sister is expecting me to arrive sometime late at night."

"That should be an interesting trip," he tide off the end of the fishtail braid, giving it a tug to tilt her head back and kiss her cheek, "All done."

Reaching back to touch the braid, her fingers tripped lightly over the intricate braiding, "You're going to make some little girl a real good daddy."

He laughed but didn't comment, simply asking, "What are your plans for today?"

"Nothing, really," she smiled as she looked over at the table, "Try to eat something…maybe a pay per view movie."

Lian wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder, his cheek pressed against hers, "You asked me to join you for lunch…can I join you for that movie too?"

A smile spread slowly across her face as she turned the few inches to look into his dark brown eyes, "What would you like to watch?"

They spend a few minutes debating movie options before settling on _Ocean's Eleven_, Julie ordering the movie over the phone while Lian placed all the plates back on the cart and moved it to the side of the bed.

"We're eating in bed," Julie asked in surprise as she hung up the phone, laughing as Lian tugged off his boots before getting into bed, ushering her to scoot over until they were both in the middle, pillows piled behind their backs as they stretched out their long legs.

"That's where the TV's facing," Lian handed her a plate with a whole-grain waffle before placing his plate of sushi and white rice on his lap, "Besides, there's nothing more indulging than eating in bed while watching a movie."

Julie laughed, reaching across him for the syrup, pouring a liberal amount of it on her waffle before returning it, taking the fork and knife he handed her, "I can think of a few things more indulgent than this."

"Like what," Lian picked up a tuna roll with his chopsticks, slipping it whole into his mouth as he watched her cut her waffles into small bite size pieces.

"Well, there's chocolate covered strawberries and champagne while having a bubble bath."

"That's a girly indulgence," Lian expertly shoveled a few bites of rice into his mouth with his chopsticks as Julie pointed at a glass of orange juice; "It would be torture for a guy…unless it includes a naked girl in the tub."

Julie laughed as she took the orange juice from him, taking a sip before tucking it between her knees, "How about…a five hour jam session with friends for no reason other than to make music?"

"Ah, now you're talking," Julian picked up a glass of water, taking a swallow before placing it back, "Movie's starting…you don't talk during a movie, do you?"

"What if I do?"

Lian looked at her with narrowed eyes before giving her a slow devastating smile, "I'll have to find a way to keep you quiet."

She laughed at that, turning her attention back to the waffle as they watched the movie unfold, neither saying anything while they ate.

Feeling full after finishing half of her waffle, she set the plate on the bedside table, picking up her orange juice and taking a few swallows before it joined the plate.

Snuggling into the pillows, she let out a contented sigh as she watched George Clooney's character observing Matt Damon's character in the Chicago subway.

Setting his empty plate back on the cart, he picked up his water glass and emptied it, returning it to the cart before stretching his arms over his head.

Julie bit back a smile as he draped an arm around her shoulders, scooting closer when he pulled her into his side, her head resting on his chest as she stretched an arm over his stomach, her bent knee on his hard thigh.

Three-fourths into the movie, she softly whispered his name, "Julian."

His lips spread into a smile as he looked down at her, nudging her chin up to press a soft kiss on her lips, the tip of his nose brushing over hers, "Yes July."

She stared into his dark brown eyes, realizing for the first time they were the exact shade of dark chocolate.

He arched an eyebrow at her as his thumb stroked over her cheek, "You were going to ask me something?"

She nodded, scared out of her mind at what she was going to ask but she couldn't keep the words in –not when they were practically burning in her mouth.

"Would you like to go with me tomorrow?"

* * *

_January 7__th__  
3:45PM_

The sound was lulling in its steady _clack-clack_ motion as steel met steel, the sleek locomotive eating up the miles of track with every turn of its wheels.

The blurring scenery out of their wide window in the private compartment they were in fascinated him as it changed every few minutes –buildings, streets, hills, rice paddies then back to buildings.

Lifting his ankle onto his knee, he pulled out a journal he had tucked into the bench beside his thigh, pulling out a pen from his jacket pocket, all the while keeping his right shoulder still.

Looking to the side, he smiled at the sight of July's sleeping face, her head pillowed on his shoulder, a long fingered hand on his thigh, the other resting on her lap.

Watching her for a few quiet minutes, he let out a sigh, placing a soft kiss at the top of her head before looking down at his journal, clicking his pen as he opened the well-used book.

It had been so long since he'd had this urge to compose –it was like a beast clawing at him to get out…one he hadn't felt for so long.

At eighteen, he had been gun-ho at making it in the music business, wanting to be the kind of musician that performed his own compositions.

And for the first few years, he did just that.

He found inspiration in everything –even the hell that Camille had put him through brought forth several songs that had hit the top charts and had won him a Grammy here and there.

But in the past two years, every time he tried to write, he came up empty.

It had taken him weeks to be able to put together the song for Seth's wedding, most of his inspiration coming from having gotten to know Rose those two years she had been without Seth –quite frankly, the whole creative process had been very painful.

Now his latest hit –that one had come quite easy, the notes and lyrics flowing as thoughts of July filled his head.

And now here he was, music spinning and unraveling in his brain, his fingertips tingling with the urge to pluck the notes out of his guitar.

All he had to do was put pen to paper and lyrics to harmony, possibly even throw in some melody…

She let out a soft sigh, rubbing her cheek against the suede fabric of his tanned jacket before settling into sleep again, the hand on his thigh curling into a fist before relaxing.

Running a finger over her knuckles, he marveled at how beautiful her hand was, delicate and graceful…then again, everything about her was beautiful –that which he had seen and even what he had yet to see.

Gently lifting her hand off his thigh, he placed a warm kiss against the back before returning it to where it was, turning his attention back to his journal.

The silence was peaceful as he wrote, notes accompanying words, scratching out one thought to replace it with another, time flying by as he completely immersed himself in the music he had in his head while July slept beside him.

* * *

_Weihai, China  
Close to midnight_

"So you've never met any of these family members before, have you," Lian kept his arm across her stomach to keep her from falling out of the pedi-cab as the driver hit a rut, jostling the whole thing but it miraculously stayed upright.

"_Yéye _told me he wrote to his sister," Julie held on to her bag, having only brought a couple of change of clothes, the rest of her luggage in the Eaton Hotel room back in Hong Kong, "Let her know I was coming for a visit –he would tell us stories of him and his sister –she's older than him."

They hit another rut, Lian sure the wheels of the buggy had actually left the dirt path for a second.

"This is the side of the family that has ancestral mermaids, correct?"

She couldn't make out much of his features in the darkness but could hear the disbelieving tone in his teasing words.

With Seth, she had always been careful –despite having revealed herself in her true form that Halloween night –because there had been a part of him that actually believed.

Probably because he too had an unbelievable secret of his own, one she wouldn't have been shocked to learn because she had already known.

But with Lian, it was different.

He didn't believe her and no matter what she told him, he wasn't going to believe her.

Somehow knowing that gave her a feeling of…freedom and recklessness over a secret she had been raised to guard militantly.

"Yes," she called out something in Chinese, the pedi-cabbie slowing down a bit, "Weihai legend is that centuries ago, a group of women began what is now a successful pearl diving industry. The rumors were that these women were mermaids –daughters of the ocean who were intrigued by the life on land."

"People actually believed that," Lian grabbed the edge of the seat as the pedi-cab turned a corner, the buggy jostling as it hit a rut, "That these divers were mermaids?"

"Yes," Julie reached up to pull a curl from her mouth, looking up at the dark sky, the sight of the bright stars taking her breath away, "Apparently, my mother's grandmother's grandmother was able to come onto land indefinitely, which is how we have a family tree and not a family pod."

Lian laughed at that, taking her bag as the pedi-cabbie began to slow down, "Why was she able to come onto land indefinitely?"

Julie gave him a smile as the pedi-cabbie stopped in front of a large sprawling house, the sound of crashing waves nearby as lights blinked on inside the house, the massive front doors swinging open before a small woman in a red and gold kimono walked out, her dark hair wrapped up in a chignon at the back of her head.

Stepping out of the buggy with Lian following close behind her, she handed some bills to the pedi-cabbie, thanking him in Chinese.

"_Zhū lì_," the small woman exclaimed in joy as she rushed across the graveled driveway, reaching up to cup her grand-niece's face as she continued in Chinese, "_It's so good to finally meet you! Your grandfather has told me so much about you and your sister! He's so proud of you two."_

Lian watched Julie smile as she bowed her head, her smooth voice flowing naturally as she responded in kind, "_I've heard much of you too, Aunt Xiaozhi. Yéye talks of you all the time…he misses you very much."_

"_Oh, I miss him much too,_" she smiled up at Julie before looking over at Lian, who had stood quietly holding both his bag and Julie's, "_Is this your husband?_"

"Oh," Julie looked over her shoulder, shaking her head before looking down into her aunt's dark brown eyes, "_No. He's just a friend. I'm not married. I've yet…_"

She gave her a smile as she reached out to take her hand, holding it between her two smaller ones, "_That's why you're here…to see your Aunt Mingzhu. She'll be able to tell you what you need to know. Come, come. I will show you to your rooms. Tomorrow, you meet the rest of the family._"

Julie smiled down at her before turning to Lian, "This is my Aunt Xiaozhi. She's grandfather's sister."

Turning to look at her aunt, she gave her a little bow before saying, "_My friend _Lian_ and I are much honored to be here…thank you for letting us into your home._"

"_Of course, of course,_" she smiled at Lian, giving him a bow before gesturing for the two of them to follow her, "_Tell me, how is my niece Jiao? Has she married?_"

Julie chuckled as she followed the smaller woman into the house, Lian staying close behind her, "_Mother is fine and no, she hasn't married. She just got her nursing license and is working at a hospital as a nurse for children._"

Xiaozhi shook her head as she opened a door, ushering Lian through it, "_She needs to find herself a husband. It's not good for a woman to raise children alone. This will be his room._"

Julie smiled over at Lian, "Your room," then turned to give her aunt a smile as well, "_Mother has done fine raising us alone. Madelyn is in medical school –_"

"_Yes, your grandfather told me. He's so proud of her, says she's getting married to a doctor. He says its true love and that is good._"

Julie nodded as she followed behind her aunt towards the room that was to be hers, Lian standing in the doorway watching as the smaller woman stopped two doors down and across the hall, "_This is your room, Zhū lì. Tomorrow, I will send a message to your aunt Mingzhu…she will be so happy to see you. She misses her sister very much and will have many questions to ask you…and have answers for your questions too."_

Julie nodded as she looked around the large room, a full size mattress on a two foot high platform in the middle, a beautiful silk screen standing on one corner with large planters holding flourishing plum blossoms on either side of the closed terrace doors, white sheer fabric letting in the moon's light to spill across a light wood floor.

Turning, she gave her aunt a small bow with a smile, "_I will be happy to meet aunt Mingzhu… Nǎinai has told me much about her._"

She smiled up at her, patting her hand before moving towards the door, giving her a graceful bow before exiting, the door closing softly behind her.

Letting out a sigh, she moved across the room, spreading the curtains apart to open the terrace doors, a long breath escaping her at the sight of the crashing waves below…her aunt had given her the one room that had easy diving access into the ocean.

Despite not being a mermaid herself, Aunt Xiaozhi had understood her brother's choice of a wife, even becoming close friends with her grandmother before they had left China to head to the States.

It was sweet of her to realize that at this point in her life, Julie's greatest comfort was to be close to the sea…to an escape route if ever needed.

A soft knock broke her musings.

Moving across the room, she opened the door to find Lian at the other side with her bag, "Oh, I had forgotten about that."

"That would have meant sleeping with no pajamas," Lian winked at her, grinning as she stifled a laugh behind her hand, taking the bag with her other, "Well…have a good night."

She smiled at him, moving to watch him head down the hall towards his bedroom, "You too."

Stopping at his door, he turned to look over his shoulder at her, "July."

"Yes."

"Why was your great, great, great grandmother able to stay on land indefinitely?"

Julie stared into his dark eyes, taking in a deep breath before letting it out slowly, "She found the one thing every mermaid needs to be able to have a fulfilling life on land."

"Which is?"

Blinking, she reached for the door to close it but not before answering, her voice soft yet heavy.

"True love."


	18. Chapter 16

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I've got another completed chapter after this! That's right...my creative juices have been flowing. Enjoy the chapter and remember to leave a review, short or long!  
**

**Gaby -Love you much darling!  
**

**Ses -no longer counting, just looking forward to hearing from you when you have the time.  
**

**Gianna, lette, moani, Chealsea -you are all wonderful! thank you for your reviews!  
**

**As always, enjoy while you're reading and please...REVIEW!  
**

**Chapter Sixteen**

_January 12__th_

All the deep breathing was really making him uncomfortable…then again, this whole thing always made him uncomfortable no matter how many times he'd gone through it –the practice run as well as the actual event.

Readjusting the towel around Leah's neck, he looked around the room at the six other couples as the instructor walked from mat to mat, her hands moving to the words she was saying.

"Now take a deep breath and imagine yourself rising above the pain."

He looked down at his wife, watching as she breathed in deep, her long fingered hands on either side of the round six month belly that was their baby.

Readjusting the towel around her neck, Rick leaned down to whisper into her ear, "Leah."

"Mhm," she kept her eyes on the instructor as she slowly let the air in her lungs out before taking in another deep breath.

"Why are we here," he moved a bit closer, his knees resting against her lower back as she leaned back into him, "We've gone through this four times –there's nothing new to learn."

Leah's breathing pattern broke with a giggle as she tilted her head back to look up into his blue eyes, "We can switch places if you want to learn something new."

Rick's eyebrows lowered in confusion as he watched the teasing gleam in her brown-green eyes intensify, "What? Switch places how?"

"You be the mommy and I'll be the daddy."

Rick's eyebrows lowered even more as he looked around the room then back at her, "You mean…I get on the mat?"

"Now imagine your vagina opening like a flower…"

Rick stared at the instructor in horror, his face going pale as he looked down at Leah, "Yeah, no…I don't think so."

Leah couldn't hold back the laughter, pushing herself into a sitting position as the instructor turned to look at them, "Leah…care to share the joke?"

"I'm sorry," Leah chuckled as she looked at her husband, her hand reaching out for his, "Rick was asking why we're here."

The instructor looked down at Leah's pregnant belly before looking up at her face, "Weren't you here last year?"

"The year before," Leah crossed her legs, a small sigh escaping her as Rick moved closer, his hand rubbing the small of her back, "Our boys are turning one in ten days."

She grinned down at them before looking at the six other couples in the room, "Rick and Leah have quite the experience when it comes to birthing children. This will be baby number…"

"Six," Leah rubbed the side of her belly where she could feel a small foot, feeling like she needed to explain when the other parents stared at her in shock, "The last ones were twins, though."

Rick leaned down to whisper into her ear, his broad chest pressed against her back, "They still think we're crazy for having so many kids."

Leah giggled, tilting her head back to grin at him, "I don't care."

"Rick," the instructor's voice had them looking away from each other, "Why don't you share your experience with the other daddies here? I'm sure they would like to know from someone with your experience as to what can be expected."

Rick watched as the other men in the room nodded, most of them at least five years younger than him, "Well…"

Looking down into Leah's brown-green eyes, he gave her a soft smile as he reached up to brush back a strand of hair that had come loose from the hair tie at the base of her neck, "It's…the most frightening thing you'll ever experience."

Leah's eyes grew wide but she didn't say anything because Rick placed his finger over her lips as he continued, "She'll be in pain and you'll feel hopeless because there's nothing you can do except stand beside her, hold her hand…take the abuse."

Leah's face flushed as she recalled having called Rick several names –in Quileute, which was good because that meant he didn't understand what she was saying although her tone had made it obvious –when birthing the twins.

"And when you're just about ready to give up –not just you but her as well –you witness the most amazing thing ever…this woman you love…the one you've pledge to cherish and protect…she finds strength where there is none and gives you the most amazing gift there could ever be…a child made in love."

Leah blinked, Rick's thumb brushing away the tear that escaped, his eyes never leaving hers as he continued, "You'll never look at her the same after that…from then on, every time you look at her, it will be in awe…not just because she can nurture life but because she gives birth to miracles as well."

Leah's sniffle wasn't alone as the other women in the room used the edge of their towels to wipe away at their tears, some of the men blinking fast as they fought for control.

The instructor smiled down at them but neither Leah nor Rick noticed as they stared at each other.

Reaching up to cup his strong jaw in her hand, she tilted her head back to press a soft kiss against his lips, her brown-green eyes bright with unshed tears, "I love you."

Rick smiled as he stroked the side of her face, their noses touching as he rested his forehead against hers, dropping his hand to rest on the swell of her stomach, "As I love you."

* * *

_Weihai, China  
January 13__th_

Lian picked up his tea cup, leaning back to rest his ankle over his knee, his elbows on the arm rests of the iron-wrought chair he sat on.

Breathing in the fragrant aroma of the tea –he wished it were coffee but alas, there was none in the whole of Weihai, apparently –he kept his eyes on July and her aunt Mingzhu, sitting by the cliff's edge several miles away.

July had her back to the crashing ocean below with her aunt facing her as she held her grand-niece's hands in her smaller ones…it was almost like witnessing a palm reading.

He wondered if on top of mermaids in the family tree there were also psychics…

A soft scoff escaped him as he took a sip of the tea, the warm berry taste exploding across his tongue.

If they believed mermaids existed then they probably believed in psychics as well…it wasn't that far of a stretch from one absurdity to another, after all.

Lowering his tea cup, he watched as the wind tugged at July's hair, studying her face as she kept her eyes on the small hands joining hers, occasionally nodding to something her aunt said.

He had met the woman a couple of days ago, amazed that she was July's grandmother's sister –she didn't look a day over thirty with her petite frame, blue-black hair and bright purple eyes the exact shape and hue as July's.

Apparently –from what July had told him –it was the matriarchal side of the tree that had mermaids –all of them female and purple eyed. They came to land in search of true love and acceptance because there were no male mermaids to be found under the sea.

Shaking his head as he took another sip of his tea, he wondered if July took all this seriously…he too had grown up listening to family lore of 'cold ones' and spirit warriors phasing into giant wolves for the sole purpose of protecting the vulnerable and defenseless but that's all they were –tribal lore passed from generation to generation…stories meant to inspire cultural pride and tribal unity.

"You must be Zhū lì's friend," a softly accented voice had him stand up as he set the cup on the table, turning to give the customary bow but his brain short-circuited as soon as he laid eyes on the woman standing quietly several feet from where he was.

She was small in stature, no taller than five feet, a navy blue kimono hugging a curvy frame before it ended at her knees, dark gray pants underneath flowing down to cover her feet…but what had him fighting hard not to rudely stare –and failing miserably –was her face.

A delicate oval with dark eyebrows over slanted purple eyes, long dark hair framing her face as it fell over her shoulders, her lips full –she was truly beautiful.

"I'm sorry, I…I," he stuttered, feeling stupidly idiotic as he held out his hand, snatching it back before she could offer hers to give her a jerky boy, "I'm Lian…July's friend."

She tilted her head to the side, her lips spreading into a smile as her purple eyes twinkled, "July…is that not a month? May I join you?"

He stared at her, shaking his head to get his brain to pick up its thoughts, "Yes –yes, please."

Gesturing towards the empty chair across the small table, he waited for her to sit, admiring the graceful way she moved, her hands held before her as she sank into the chair, "I am Hanai, Zhū lì's cousin. Mingzhu is my grandmother. My mother is Zhū lì's grandmother's niece."

He nodded as he watched her pick up the tea pot in the middle of the table, gracefully filling his half empty cup before setting it back, "You, uh…you look nothing alike –I mean you and July."

"Zhū lì looks like no one," she smiled at him, resting her hands on her lap, her back straight as the breeze played with her hair, "Except herself…she is unique."

Lian nodded, wondering what the hell had him so tongue-tied, "Yes, of course…except for the eyes."

She arched an eyebrow as she reached up to pull a strand of hair from her mouth, "Excuse me?"

"The purple eyes," Lian gestured towards her face, feeling like an idiot –she knew exactly where her eyes were, "Is it…a mermaid thing?"

Her eyes widened as she sucked a breath in sharply, her body stilling as she studied his face for a few seconds, "She told you?"

"About mermaids in your family," Lian tried hard to keep the edge of disbelief from his voice without success, "Yes."

He watched her beautiful eyes go blank, her face expressionless as she inclined her head before standing up, moving around the table towards the house behind him, "If you will excuse me."

"I…" he wanted to apologize but he wasn't sure what exactly to say –dear God, when had he become such a blubbering idiot?

She slightly bowed before turning towards the house –it was built by the edge of a cliff, one of many in the coast of Weihai –stopping several feet from him, the wind tousling her hair as she turned to look at him over her shoulder, her bright purple eyes showing a wealth of sorrow that hit him like a punch in the gut, "Your disbelief will destroy that which you do not believe in."

A shiver ran down Lian's back as he watched her walk across the paved path, disappearing around the corner of the house.

_Your disbelief will destroy that which you do not believe in._

Why did that sound like a warning…a prophecy of something yet to come?

He shivered again before turning to look towards the cliff, his breath stuttering as he watched July standing at the edge of the cliff, her aunt nowhere in sight.

Seconds passed as she stood there, the wind tugging at her hair, the purple kimono she wore over white cotton pants lifting as the waves crashed against the cliff's face, the sky darkening into a navy blue with stars strewn across it.

Seconds passed by, his eyes never leaving her as she moved closer to the edge, her eyes trained on the turbulent ocean below, the water splashing over the edge of the cliff to wet her feet, almost as if it were reaching out for her…

The tide was rising –simply put, his fanciful thinking had an explanation.

As Hanai's ominous words echoed in his head, he reminded himself there was nothing supernatural about July or her family.

After all, there were no such things as werewolves, vampires, shape-shifters or mermaids.

* * *

_January 22__nd_

Rick let out a quiet huff as he juggled the bags in his arms, reaching for the doorknob to the back door.

Stepping into the kitchen as soon as the back door swung open, he stopped in shock at the scene that greeted him.

Leah was sitting on the floor, leaning against the bottom cupboard as she cried into her hands, blue and green frosting splattered across the kitchen floor, some of it spotting the walls and refrigerator.

Sitting in the middle of the mess were Alyx and Andrey, their blue eyes wide as they looked up at him, frosting in their hair, hands, clothes and smeared over their little faces.

Stepping carefully to the side, he set the bags on the table, the festive tablecloth Leah had bought especially for this day hanging halfway down the floor, "Leah…what happened?"

"I'm so stupid," Leah sobbed without looking up, her shoulders shaking as she continued to blubber, "I put the cake on the tabl –they saw it –the tablecloth was too lon –I should have left it on the count –it's not their fault and n –now everything's ruined!"

Pursing his lips to keep himself from laughing at the image her stinted explanation had painted, he looked down to watch the twins as they looked at each other then back at him before getting onto their feet, their little Converse sneakers leaving behind prints on the frosting as they toddled to their mother, Alyx climbing into her lap as Andrey moved into her side, his frosting covered hand patting her head as his brother tried to pry her hands from her face.

"I'm so sorry," she let out a sob, sniffing as she let Alyx tug her hands down, his little fingers reaching up to wipe at her face, smearing frosting across her cheeks, "Today's suppose to be special…and now it's ruined."

Alyx's bottom lip poked out as he struggled to climb Leah's round belly, her arms wrapping around both of them as she kissed Andrey's forehead then Alyx, their little hands leaving frosting over her face and hair, as well as the turquoise top she wore with black leggings.

Rick blinked back tears at the tender picture they made, looking down at the floor, unable to find where he could step without tracking more of the frosting.

Despite wanting to keep the mess to a minimum, he knew he had to get to his hormonal wife before she started thinking he believed her to be a horrible mother.

Crouching next to her, he stroked his hand over the back of her head, his fingers curling around her neck, "Leah, baby, it's going to be okay."

"It's –it's their first birthday," Leah sniffed, turning red-rimmed eyes towards him, "And there won't be a birthday cake."

"I'll take care of it," Rick pressed a kiss on her forehead, Andrey looking at him as he snuggled into her side, Alyx holding on tight to a hank of her hair, "Go get in the shower then take a nap."

"But the twins –"

He smiled at the soft hiccup that escaped her, his thumb rubbing the soft spot behind her ear, "I'll take care of them. The party is not until two –I have five hours."

Leah looked into his blue eyes, sniffing before she gave him a nod, Rick taking Alyx and Andrey from her before she grabbed the lip of the sink and pulled herself up.

Leaning forward, he kissed her lips, the salty tears mingling with her own sweet taste as she kissed him back, letting out a shuddering breath when he pulled back, their foreheads pressed against each other for a few seconds before the twins moved together as one, leaning forward to give her cheeks open mouthed kisses as they gurgled –it was their version of a buzz.

Laughing, she reached up to wipe at the tears, her eyes widening as her hand came away with frosting, "Oh God, I'm a mess."

"You're still beautiful," Rick's voice was sincere as he smiled down at her, bouncing the boys as they began to wiggle, "Now go relax and leave everything to me."

"Okay," she nodded with a sniff, giving him a watery smile before kissing the twins, the boys turning to look over their father's shoulders to watch as she kicked her shoes off at the doorway of the utility room before leaving the kitchen.

As soon as she was out of sight, they turned wide blue eyes towards their father, waiting quietly while he looked from one then the other before they all looked towards the splattered cake on the kitchen floor.

"Well," Rick watched the boys as they looked from the cake back to him, blue eyes twinkling as they gave him identical dimpled grins, "Guess first thing I gotta do is get another cake, right?"

"Da-da," Andrey nodded as Alyx pointed at the ruined cake, his little eyebrows lowering into a furrow over his eyes, "Da, da."

Rick chuckled at their syllable-long answers –they'd yet to expand from 'da' –as he placed them on the floor, rubbing the back of his neck as they toddled eagerly towards the blue and green mess, their little fingers digging into frosting as they let out squeals of joy, "You two may be willing to eat it off the floor but I don't think the others will be so accommodating."

Alyx giggled as he looked up at his father, pointing his little frosted finger at him, "Da! Da!"

Rick chuckled as Alyx shoved his fingers into his small mouth, sucking at the sugary taste before crouching down to stick his wet fingers back into the frosting, "Okay, you guys do that while I get us another cake, then I'll clean up this mess…and you."

Andrey nodded as he stuffed a piece of breading into his mouth, bouncing his knees in rhythm to some internal music as he licked frosting off his hand.

Picking up the phone, he dialed the number by memory, already knowing the one person that would be able to rescue him and save the party Leah had been planning for over a month now.

He didn't think there was any need for a cake –especially with the twins stuffing their faces with all that frosting. He was certain by the time it came around to cutting into a cake, they were both going to be so sick of sugar they won't want a piece –good way for them to learn their lesson.

Just like he and Kristos had when they'd gotten into mana's stash of _kok –_even now, the memory of those chocolate-glazed, cream filled cookies made him want to gag.

"_Hello?_"

"Hey, Sam, it's Rick."

"_Hey man, how's it going? Party's still on, right?_"

"Uh…if your wife's able to help me out with the latest glitch, then yeah, party's still on. Is she around?"

"_Yeah, let me get her for you._"

Rick listened as Sam set the phone down, his yell for Emily loud enough to make him wince –sometimes, Sam could be quite…unmannered.

"_Hi Rick. Sam says you need some help_."

"Yeah," he smiled, thinking how well Emily's sweetness rounded out Sam's rough edges, "We had a bit of a cake catastrophe –""

"_What happened?_"

Rick watched as the boys moved on from eating the cake to painting with it, their small fingers smearing it over the refrigerator door with gleeful abandonment –oh, the kitchen was going to be hell to clean up, "Andrey and Alyx happened."

Emily laughed at that, already having babysat the little terrors enough times to know what they were capable of, "_How can I help you?_"

"Would you be able to bake me a cake…cupcakes, cookies, muffins –I don't care as long as I can stick a candle in it."

"_I'll get started on that right away_," she said with a giggle and he knew she was shaking her head in amusement –he would have laughed out loud himself if he hadn't had a weepy hormonal wife declaring the day ruined because of a splattered cake, "_Call Sue and have her come over to help with the twins while you clean the mess –there's no way you'll be able to contain it to the kitchen if you don't._"

"Good idea, thanks."

"_Oh, and Rick."_

"Yeah?"

He laughed at her parting words, "_Take a picture of them –she'll find it funny later._"

* * *

_February 3__rd__, Wednesday  
9:18PM_

Leah let out a tired sigh as she folded the last towel, placing it on the stack in the laundry basket before reaching to rub her lower back.

Picking up the baby monitor, she rolled her shoulders, turning the lights off in the utility room then kitchen, pleased with herself at having a clean kitchen, laundry done and all her babies tucked into bed asleep.

Rubbing her back as she walked down the hall, she realized it was a small victory getting to go to bed before midnight but small or not, she was going to enjoy it.

A sniffle followed by a sneeze then a small cough let her know she had started celebrating too early as a croaky voice called out, "Mama!"

Turning away from her bedroom doorway, she moved down the hall, flipping the light switch in her daughter's room to find her baby girl sitting in the middle of the bed, her little arms wrapped around Mou-bear as she looked up at her with sad blue eyes and a red nose, "I feel yucky, mama."

"Oh, baby," Leah sat beside her, reaching out to touch her forehead, her skin warmer than usual as she rubbed a small fist under her nose, "I think you're sick, sweetie."

She sneezed, sniffing as she looked up at her mother, "I don't wanna be sick."

Leah gave her a soft smile as she leaned down to kiss her forehead, "I'll take you to the doctor in the morning –she'll be able to give us something to make you feel better."

"I wanna feel better now," Emmie blinked her big blue eyes as tears welled up in them, her little nose reddening as she sniffed.

"I'll get a cool washcloth for your head," Leah kissed her forehead, rubbing her small back as she smiled down at her, "That'll help with the fever."

Emmie sneezed, sniffing as a tear rolled down her cheek, "I want Daddy."

Leah's heart lurched in pain because no matter how much she wanted to give her daughter what she asked, she couldn't what with Rick being out in the woods on four legs –sometimes it wasn't easy being a single mom during the nights when he wasn't here, "Daddy can't be here, sweetie. He's being a wolf tonight."

Emmie sniffled as tears began falling down her round cheeks, "I want Mou then."

Leah couldn't hold back the smile –that was always the drill with her baby girl whenever she wasn't feeling well or got hurt: first Daddy, then Embry, "Baby, Mou is in Seattle for school."

Emmie's bottom lip poked out in a tremble before she let out a soft sob, burying her face into Leah's side as her small shoulders shook.

Tenderly stroking her hair, she rocked her, her heart aching at the utter desolation in Emmie's cries. She knew her daughter loved her but her little girl's source of comfort, safety and confidence came from the two most important men/wolves in her life: her father and her soul-mate.

Kissing the top of her head, Leah kept the gentle rocking, hoping it would lull her to sleep.

A soft sniffle before she let out a shuddering breath, a sob catching then more tears soaking her shirt.

"It'll be okay, baby," Leah assured her as she wiped a thumb over her flushed cheek, "Daddy will be here in the morning."

Emmie nodded –she wasn't a whiner –but tears kept coming as she hiccuped, her turned-up nose red as she sniffled.

Giving her forehead a kiss as the phone began to ring, she smiled down at her daughter, "I'm going to answer the phone then come get you for bed, okay?"

Emmie nodded as she rubbed a small fist over her eyes, a sneeze having her small nose running.

Moving into the kitchen, she picked up the phone on the third ring, hoping the twins had slept through it, "Hello?"

_"Hey, Lee, how's it going?"_

Leah smiled, easily recognizing the voice, "Doing okay. Were your ears ringing?"

_"Uh?"_

"Emmie's asking for you. She's got a bit of a fever and a runny nose –"

_"I'm on my way."_

"You don't need t come, Embry. You have classes tomorrow and it's just a cold…Em? Embry? You hung up, didn't you?"

Shaking her head, she returned the receiver to its cradle and headed back to her daughter's room.

Thirty minutes later, a soft knock at the front door had Emmie's droopy lids flying open.

Pressing a kiss on her warm forehead, she walked out of her room, rubbing the small of her back as she headed towards the front door.

Her eyebrows arched at the sight that greeted her, "Did you run here?"

"Yes," Embry wiped his bare feet on the welcome mat, his breathing still a bit labored, "It's faster than driving."

"Right," Leah nodded in agreement, a sneeze coming from Emmie's bedroom reminding her why Embry was standing on her front porch in cut-off jeans and a worn t-shirt with no shoes, "Come on in."

"Thanks," Embry walked into the living room, pointing towards the hallway, "Is she in her bedroom?"

"Yes."

Giving her a quick nod, he headed that way, a smile spreading as Emmie clambered out from under the covers as soon as she saw him.

"Mou!"

"Hey Princess," he sat down on the floor beside her bed, reaching up to cup her small face, "How are you feeling?"

"Yucky," Emmie sniffled as she rubbed her nose, "I don't like it."

"Neither do I," Embry tapped his finger against her small nose, "You look like Rudolph with that red nose, though."

Emmie giggled, her little hands taking his larger one to hold on her lap, "Rudolph is a girl deer."

"Really?"

"Uh-hu," Emmie nodded, sniffing before she continued, "Boy deers lose their an-lers in the winter."

Embry chuckled, "I did not know that."

Emmie's rosebud mouth spread into a yawn, her blue eyes droopy as she asked, "Will you stay until I fall asleep?"

"Of course," he helped her crawl under the bed covers, tucking the flower printed comforter around her as she looked up at him, "What if I wake up before morning?"

"I'll be right here," he leaned forward to kiss her forehead, tucking Mou-bear under the covers with her.

Emmie yawned again, tucking her little hand into his and pulling it under her chin, "Tell me a story."

Embry smiled as he rested his arms on the mattress, "Let's see…there was once a princess –"

"What was her name?"

"Her name," Embry's thinking face had her giggling before he gave her a smile, "Princess Emerie the Beautiful."

Emmie giggled as she nestled her small head into her pillow, "Is she smart?"

"Very smart," Embry reached up with his free hand to stroke her soft hair, "Princess Emerie had a best friend –"

"His name's Mou," Emmie sneezed, rubbing her nose against her pajama sleeve.

"It is," Embry asked with a smile as he stroked her forehead with his thumb.

She nodded, another yawn escaping her.

"Alright then," Embry watched her long eyelashes lower as she fought to stay awake, "One morning after breakfast, she went out into the garden to play with Mou."

Emmie blinked her eyes quickly in an attempt to wake up, "Was he waiting for her?"

"Mou always waits for Princess Emerie."

She gave him a sleepy smile, "What happened next?"

"When she went out into the garden, she discovered something strange."

"What?"

Embry grinned at the inquisitive look she gave him, "All the flowers in the garden were missing."

Emmie sat up with a gasp, her blue eyes wide, "Where'd they go?"

Embry lifted his shoulders, "I don't know. Where do you think they went?"

Emmie pursed her lips in thought as she settled back into her pillow, her face brightening as she thought of something, "King Daddy picked them all to give to Queen Mama because he loves her so much."

"There's an idea," Embry watched her big eyes close as she let out a soft sigh, "But Mou and Princess Emerie decided to investigate to see if their theory was correct."

Emerie let out a soft hum, finally succumbing to sleep as she held on to Embry's hand.

Watching her sleep as minutes trickled by, he let out a yawn before lowering his head to rest on his arms, his eyes closing as the sound of her steady heartbeat and soft breathing lulled him into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

Rick let out a tired yawn as he trudged down the hall towards the back bedroom, stopping before he reached it to walk backwards until he reached the opened doorway into his daughter's room.

He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about finding Embry asleep in her room, his head on his arm as his baby girl held on to his other hand in her sleep.

Wasn't this the kind of thing fathers of teenage girls were supposed to deal with?

His baby was not even four yet…

Moving down the hall into his bedroom, he leaned over his sleeping wife, kissing her soft lips until she let out a sigh, her beautiful brown-green eyes fluttering open, "Good morning."

He smiled, sliding his hand under the covers and her sleeping shirt to rest his hand on her round stomach, "Good morning. Why is Embry sleeping in my daughter's room?"

Leah chuckled as she reached up to stroke his jaw, "Emmie wasn't feeling well last night."

"Did you call him?"

"No," she moved her thumb over his bottom lip, laughing when he caught it between his teeth, "He called, which was unusual considering it was late. I'm sure he must have felt her feeling miserable."

Giving her thumb a nipping bite, he let it slip out of his mouth before kissing her forehead, "Well, now that Daddy's here, he should be able to go."

"Rick, be nice," Leah pushed herself into a sitting position, "He ran down from Seattle because Emmie needed him –and he needed to be here with her."

Rick gave her a smile before kissing her mouth again, "I'm going to shower then make breakfast. Get some more sleep."

"Are you kicking Embry out?"

He gave her a smile meant to reassure her, "He has a class at ten."

"Rick…"

"He can stay for breakfast."


	19. Chapter 17

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Y'all are spoiled! Two chapters in one weekend! I expect just as many reviews or it will never happen again. Enjoy!  
**

**Gaby -as always, you make my day, my week, my month! Thank you and I love you much friend!  
**

**Ses -you're sorely missed.  
**

**Gianna, Chelsea, Lette, Moani, A Thing 4Lovin Leah -I love you all...but more reviews will have me loving you even more! What can I say? I'm a writer with a fragile ego in need of reassurance.  
**

**As always, enjoy what you read and while you read and post reviews so I may enjoy your response!  
**

**Chapter Seventeen  
**_Valentine's Day_

The evening started off with a massive game of Chutes and Ladders, followed by Candyland, Monopoly then ending in a free for all Twister.

Toy trucks, airplanes and legos were everywhere, flour covering the counters as cookies backed in the oven, the sound of small hands banging against the table echoing in the kitchen as hot dogs and fries were consumed with gusto.

A brief respite as _Shrek_ was watched, begging and whining finally winning –_Shrek _II was started as small hands grabbed cookies from the large plate, small plastic cups –three of them with sippy lids –of milk passed around.

Little feet ran up and down the stairs as water was splashed over the tub's edge, giggles and laughter feeding off of each other as doors opened and closed with loud slams.

Pajamas were wrestled onto the little ones, one of them breaking free to streak down the hall in his birthday suit before getting caught and diapered.

Sleeping bags were spread across the living room floor, big feet tripping as kids were kissed and tucked in.

Three minutes after the lights were turned off, someone wanted a glass of water, another needed the bathroom, a third forgot her teddy bear upstairs and a fourth wanted to have a story.

Seth fell into bed in an exhausted heap besides his wife, heaving a tired sigh before he let his head fall to the side, looking at Rose with tired brown-green eyes, "One question."

Rose groaned as she forced herself to open her eyes, the baby monitor on the bedside table picking up the quiet breathing of all the children in the living room –it was like a freaking daycare out there, "What?"

"Why did we get stuck babysitting the pups tonight of all nights?"

Rose let out a tired chuckle as she closed her eyes, everything in her body hurting, "Because rock breaks scissors."

"You're kidding me, right," Seth rubbed his hands over his face before running them over his hair and tucking them behind his head, "You actually wagered our Valentine's night away with Leah?"

"She won two out of three…besides, this is the first Valentine's night without a moon –"

"Oh God, baby," Seth groaned as he rolled over onto his side, his head resting on his fist as he looked down at her, fingers gently tracing her facial features, "Sometimes I wish you weren't so tenderhearted."

"Really?"

Seth let out a soft chuckle as he leaned down to kiss her lips, "No. I love your beautiful heart…even if it means we celebrate Valentine's day a week late."

Rose gave him a tired smile, reaching up to touch his face, her fingers tracing his bottom lip, "We can celebrate now…"

She watched him perk up, almost laughing at the image of a wagging tail and pointed ears, "Really?"

"No," Rose laughed softly as she shook her head, dropping her hand to rest on her flat stomach, "I'm too tired."

Seth smiled as he pulled her into his arms, rolling onto his back, her head tucked into his shoulder as she draped an arm over his chest, "Tomorrow morning would work just fine for me…I love you Rosie."

Seconds passed into minutes before he looked down, swallowing back a laugh –she had fallen asleep.

Kissing her forehead, he buried a hand into her hair, the other pulling her tighter into him as he closed his eyes, feeling a soft breath against his throat.

"I love you too."

* * *

_Spring break in March: Monday_

Marc ran down the stairs, jumping the last three steps to land in a crouch, practically parallel to the ground as he turned the corner and ran through the living room into the kitchen.

"Whoa, whoa," Rose looked up from the vegetables she was cutting, "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"I'm taking my bike to Leah's," Marc pulled open the refrigerator door to grab a juice box.

"Are you staying there?"

"Na," he poked the straw through the hole as he looked up at his aunt, "We're gonna go to Sam's."

"Who's we?"

Marc's eyebrows lowered as he sucked half the juice out of the box before taking a breath, "Gabriel and me."

"Gabriel and I."

Finishing his juice box, he threw it into the trash before giving his aunt a teasing smile, "Correcting my grammar –not the best way to bond."

Rose laughed as she tossed the carrots into the bowl along with chopped celery and peas, "Be home by dinner time, okay?"

"Yep," opening the door, he stepped back as Einstein trotted in, rubbing the dog between his floppy ears, "Where's Vivi?"

"She's over at Monika's. Are you taking Einstein?"

He shook his head, Einstein heading into the living room to curl under the coffee table, "We're gonna be racing our bikes so he'll just get in the way."

"Be careful, Marc."

"Yah!"

The door swung shut behind him as he ran across the backyard towards the small shed where he kept his bike, pulling the heavy door open with both hands before grabbing the bike by the handles and wheeling it out.

Mounting the two-wheel bicycle, he pedaled it around the corner and onto the street, the wind pushing back his shaggy hair as he pedaled faster towards Leah's house up the street and around the corner.

It was Monday –first day of spring break and he, Gabe, Brad and Bailey had some awesome plans for the school-free days.

Jumping the curb, he let his bike fall onto the grass that covered the Laskaris' front yard, running up the porch steps and into the house without knocking.

Leah looked up from the blanket she was stitching together, her pretty face lighting up with a smile, "You really need a haircut, Marc."

He grinned at her, flopping onto the couch beside her as he picked up an edge of the quilt she was working on, "I'm thinking of letting it grow long –like Justin Bieber's."

Leah laughed, putting down the quilt to reach across the space and run her fingers through his hair, "You're way better looking than that twit –and I think his haircut's totally gay."

Marc laughed, reaching up to tousle his hair as the back door opened, "Tia Rosa said she'll take me before school starts up again next week."

"Good," Leah cupped his chin as she smiled at him before returning to stitching geometric shapes into even bigger geometric shapes as Gabe ran into the living room, "Mama, Zaky's eating dirt."

Leah let out a soft sigh before setting the blanket aside, pushing herself up to her feet, "Thank you Gabriel. Where are you and Marc heading off too?"

"Uncle Sam's," Gabe stopped to tie the shoelaces Leah was pointing at, "I'll be back before dinner."

"Please be careful."

"'Kay," Gabe ran to the front door, turning to give Marc a scowl –he was still staring at Leah with a dazed smile, "Dude, stop staring at my mom and let's go."

Shaking his head, he hopped off the couch and followed him out the door, both of them stopping when Leah called out their names.

Turning in unison, they watched Leah arch an eyebrow, not saying anything as she waited for them to get her silent message.

"Oh, yeah," Gabriel gave her a sheepish grin as he ran across the living room floor, Leah leaning down for him to kiss her cheek, Marc doing the same after him, "We'll be good, mama."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Leah tousled their hair before waving them off, "Now go have fun. I'm going to see if Claire needs help with the kiddos."

"She does," Gabe gave her a big grin as they headed out the front door, "Alyx and Andrey are about to make her cry."

Leah shook her head with a chuckle as they closed the door behind them.

Grabbing his bike from where it leaned against the porch railing, he hopped onto it and pedaled down to the street, Marc right beside him.

"Where are we racing today," Marc yelled as they stood on the pedals, their legs pumping harder from that position but it was okay 'cause they were going faster.

"I got an awesome idea last night," Gabe yelled as they rounded a corner, Marc swerving away from him to avoid hitting a pothole, "It's gonna be great!"

Rounding another corner, they pulled up their handlebars to jump the curb –something they learned to do through trial and error two weeks ago –and hit gravel, the Uley's small house in view.

Reaching the front drive, they turned their bikes, jumping off and leaving them lying on their sides as they pounded up the porch steps and into the house –once again, without knocking.

"Hey boys," Emily smiled across the kitchen table at them, Lili standing on the chair next to her, little arms elbow deep in a bowl of dough, "What's up?"

"The ceiling," Gabe said with a cheeky grin that just got bigger at Emily's laugh, Lili's giggles making Marc grin despite not being amused by Gabe's latest annoying habit –taking questions literally.

"I'm gonna go get Bailey and Brad," Gabe jerked his thumb towards the hall, not waiting for Emily to answer as he ran off, Marc pulling out a chair to sit on as he smiled at Lili, her big brown eyes trained on him.

"What ya doing, lil' flower," he asked, her smile growing at the nickname only he used.

"Mama's teaching me to make bread," she looked down at the bowl, closing her fingers to watch the dough squish between them, "We gonna fry it."

"I thought you baked bread," Marc played with the corner of the weaved place mat set before him, the toes of his worn out sneakers brushing the wooden floor –he was on the tall end of the height spectrum for eight year olds.

"Yeah," Lili nodded her head, her little pigtails brushing her cheeks, "But then we fry it and its fry bread –Granma Mae makes it all the time."

"Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top and it tastes amazing," Emily smiled at the way Marc's eyes widened –the boy had a seriously sweet tooth.

Gabe came into the kitchen with Brad and Bailey behind him, the twins affectionately tugging Lili's pigtails before looking over at their mother, Bailey speaking for both of them, "We're gonna take our bikes out, mom."

"You'll be careful, right," Emily gave them a worried look, recalling the scraped knee Brad had come home with two weekends ago.

"Where's the fun in that," Bailey gave her mother a grin before kissing her little sister's cheek, giving Marc a scowl then looking at her mother again, "We'll be back before dinner."

"Definitely back to have fry bread," Brad tickled Lili's side, his smile widening at her giggles before the three of them headed to the door, Marc hopping off the chair to follow after them.

Stopping at the front door, he looked over his shoulder to smile at Lili, "Save some for me, kay lil' flower?"

Lili nodded enthusiastically, her eyes bright as she gave him a big smile, "With extra sugar and extra cinnamon!"

Marc laughed, "You're the best!"

"Hurry up, Marc!"

"Yeah," Bailey's voice made him clench his jaw –even after three years, she still got on his nerves, "Time's a-wasting."

Giving Lili and Emily a final wave, he closed the door behind him before taking a running leap off the porch, the other three already straddling their bikes as they waited for him.

Picking up his bike as the others headed towards First Beach, he ran after them, taking a running leap onto the bike, letting out a yell of victory when he didn't topple over –all those scrapes and bruises had finally paid off.

"Where we going," Brad yelled at his cousin as they pedaled harder over the pebbles covering the shore of First Beach, Marc pumping his legs hard to catch up to them.

"Other side of the beach," Gabe yelled, successfully jumping his bike over a tree branch, "There's a trail that leads into the woods."

"We're gonna race in there," Bailey's brown eyes widened as she looked over at her cousin, her ponytail streaming behind her as she worked hard to stay in pace with the boys, Marc having caught up, "We'll get hurt."

Reaching the edge of the forest, Gabe braked his bike, pebbles flying as the others stopped, his blue eyes bright as he taunted his cousin, "Well, if you're going to be a girl about it –"

"Shut up," Bailey glared at him, her lips tight as she balanced herself on her toes, trying to keep her bike upright, "Where does the path end?"

"It goes around that way," Gabe pointed towards his house, "It ends right in my backyard."

"There's a split," Marc tugged at his jean shorts as he looked over his shoulder, recalling the trail Gabe was talking about, "We gotta take the left trail to get to your house."

"Where does the right one go," Brad kicked at the pebbles, shaking his hair from his eyes before looking over at Marc as he answered, "Up into the mountains."

"Where the tasty animals are," Bailey taunted Marc, her chin jutting out when he turned to glare at her –it was her way of saying she wasn't afraid of him.

Instead of replying, he decided to ignore her –he was mature enough not to stoop to her bratty behavior, "Who's going first?"

Gabe held out a fist, all of them following suit as he chanted, "Rock, paper, scissors."

After three rounds, they had their order –Gabe, Brad, Marc then Bailey.

Bailey's face was set in a scowl –she hated bringing up the rear but she knew if she complained, Gabe would make fun of her by calling her a girl and she hated that even more.

With a shouted 'Go!' Gabe headed into the woods, Brad following behind with Marc at his back left, Bailey pedaling hard after him.

They hadn't thought through this idea –they kept having to jump their bikes over branches and ruts, swerving to miss large rocks without running into each other.

Marc pedaled hard up a small incline, his eyes growing wide as he realized there was a steep dip, his stomach dropping as he caught air, soaring over the short distance, landing hard enough to jar his teeth.

Keeping his wheels going, he let out a shout of excitement at having been able to clear that jump, moving into the edge of the path to pass Brad on his right side, knowing the kid had the tendency to veer mostly towards his left.

Pushing himself hard as he swerved into the corner leading to the left fork of the split trail, he moved several feet ahead before cutting in front of Brad, increasing his speed as he caught sight of Gabe jumping a dip.

Clearing that same dip several seconds later, his adrenaline spiked as a pain-filled scream echoed in the woods.

Yanking his handlebars hard to the left, the bike skidded sideways, pain lancing up his leg as he slid a few feet across the forest ground before stopping.

Pushing himself to his feet, he ran back the way he had come, able to hear Gabe several feet behind him.

"What was that," Gabe yelled as they turned the corner, their eyes opening wide as they caught sight of Brad's bike on its side, the front wheel still spinning.

"Brad," they yelled, picking up their speed, Gabe twisting his foot on a rock as his cousin came running towards them.

"Bailey," he was breathing hard as he pointed behind him, "She didn't clear that last big jump."

All three ran the few feet left before reaching Bailey, her bike a few feet behind her.

"Oh, come on," Gabe ran his hand over his hair as he kicked at the forest ground, "You missed the jump?"

"I didn't pull the handlebars up hard enough," Bailey's voice was strained as she gripped her left leg a few inches above her knee.

"No duh," Gabe rolled his eyes as he leaned forward to rest his hands on his bent knee, "How bad is it?"

"It's broken," Marc crouched down beside her, Bailey using her hands and one good leg to scoot away as she growled, "Don't touch me."

Marc held up his hands, straightening up to step back, knowing without being told she was feeling vulnerable with him so close when she was hurt and unable to protect herself.

Biting her lip to keep in the scream of pain, she worked hard to fight back the tears –she was not going to cry like a little girl.

"Shit," Brad ran both hands through his hair, "Dad's gonna kill me!"

Gabe kicked at a rock, knowing Brad was right –but it wasn't just him Uncle Sam was gonna kill…more than likely all three were going to die for letting Bailey get hurt, "He doesn't have to know."

Marc turned to give Gabe a look of incredulity, "It's a broken leg –how are we gonna hide that?"

"Not the leg thing," Gabe rubbed his chin as he looked over his shoulder before turning back to his cousins, "We can't hide that…but he doesn't have to know it happened in here."

"And how are we pulling that off," Brad grimaced as Bailey sucked in a sharp breath, her face pale and shiny with sweat, strands escaping her ponytail sticking to her neck.

"Well," Gabe looked over his shoulder then down the path stretching behind Bailey, "We can carry her that way –"

"What about the bikes," Brad rubbed the back of his neck, grimacing when Gabe answered, "We leave them here."

Bailey's mouth dropped open at the look of uncertainty that crossed her brother's face, "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me!"

They all stared at her in open mouthed shock, Marc realizing Paul being on the puppy-sitting list had finally rendered unpleasant consequences as Brad shook his head, "Mom's gonna kill you."

"Oh, really," Bailey sneered up at him as she dug her fingers into the ground, the radiating pain getting worse, "I thought since we're not telling dad about the woods, mom wouldn't have to know about my saying that either."

"She's got a point," Gabe said with a nod, his eyes growing wide as a howl ripped through the woods, echoing several times before fading out.

Being he spent a night a month doing rounds with his dad and the others in Uncle Sam's pack, he was able to subconsciously recognize that particular howl and it wasn't good…

Definitely not good because Brady was stuck to Bailey like Embry to his sister so this was so not going to end well.

"Quick," Gabe ran to grab Bailey's bike as he looked over at the two other boys, "Hide the bikes! Brady's coming!"

They scrambled quickly, able to feel the ground tremble under their feet.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," Brad chanted –despite the spanking his father gave him for using that word it was one of his favorites for when things went wrong, he was just more careful not to say it in front of his dad –as he wheeled his bike several feet into the trees off of the beaten path, Marc running down the trail towards his bike, sniffing the air –oh man, he was getting close way too fast!

Picking up his bike, he ran into the forest, finding a large bolder to prop it up against, making sure it was out of sight of the path.

"Forget my bike," Gabe yelled at Marc, he and Brad furiously rubbing their feet over the tire tread marks on the dirt, "It's too far away! Rub out the tire marks!"

Marc moved faster than usual, kicking at the prints as he made his way back to where Bailey was, an odd shimmer in the air letting him know they were out of time.

"What's going on," Brady stepped out of the forest onto the path, his cut off jeans slung low on his hips as he pulled on a t-shirt, "Why are you kids in here?"

Marc froze where he was, realizing they hadn't come up with a cover story as to how Bailey had broken her leg, "Uhm…we, uh…"

"Were climbing trees," Gabe ran up to them, his breathing harsh as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, "Bailey's foot slipped off a branch and she fell…we think her leg's broken."

"Climbing trees," Brady scoffed as he trotted down the path, finding Brad kneeling by his sister as she kept her face buried into her drawn up knee, her busted leg stretched out before her, "Hey, Bales. How much does it hurt?"

"Not much," she choked out, not looking up at him –the pain was so bad, she had been unable to keep the tears from escaping and didn't want the boys to see her crying, "I wasn't too high."

"I'll try to be careful picking you up, okay," Brady crouched down next to her, carefully slipping an arm under her knees as he wrapped the other one around her back, "It's gonna hurt."

"I can take it," she sucked in a breath and held it, fighting back the scream that well up inside her as Brady straightened up, turning to bury her face into his chest when he began to move down the path –every step he took jostled her leg, the pain running up and making her stomach cramp.

Brady looked over his shoulder at the three boys trudging behind him, catching the furtive looks they were giving each other.

Turning to look at the path before him, he off-handedly commented as they broke through the forest line, "Lots of tire marks around here…looks like I'm gonna have to talk to Sam about it. We can't have hooligans racing their bikes in here –someone might get seriously hurt."

Bailey stiffened in his arms but didn't say anything, the boys staying quiet as they made their way across First Beach towards the small sea-side house that was the Uley's home.

Marc knew they were busted but what he didn't know was whether Brady was going to tattle on them or not –he supposed they were gonna find out soon enough.

"Crap," Brad whispered under his breath as they got closer to the house, grimacing at the sight of his dad's truck in the unpaved driveway, "Dad's already home."

"We're so busted," Marc whispered as he dug his hands into his pockets, yanking his shorts up –he was so skinny it was hard to find pants or shorts that fit.

"Not if we keep our mouths shut," Gabe hissed at them as Brady walked up the porch steps, "We were climbing trees, she slipped and fell. Got it?"

They all nodded as they trudged into the kitchen, Emily coming in from the living room with Lili right behind her.

"Brady," Emily's dark brown eyes widened as she rushed to him, "What happened?"

"From what I've been told, they were climbing trees and Bailey's foot slipped and now she's got a broken leg."

"Oh, my poor baby," Emily took his arm, urging him towards the living room as she told her youngest, "Lili, go get your daddy."

The little girl nodded, running down the hall towards the back door that led out to their backyard, not even a minute passing when Sam returned with Lili in his arms, "What the hell were you four doing climbing trees?"

"Not now, Sam," Emily gave him a stern look before turning her attention to Bailey's leg, "We're going to have to take her to the hospital. Brady, will you watch the boys and Lili?"

"Sure," Brady nodded even though he wished he could go to the hospital with Bailey, reluctantly handing her to Sam as soon as he deposited Lili into one of the armchairs.

Everyone was quiet as Sam and Emily rushed out of the house with Bailey, her bravado breaking as soon as they got into the truck, tears soaking up her father's shirt as he kissed the top of her head, whispering soothing words meant to comfort as Emily steered the truck onto the road towards Forks.

Brady sat down on the edge of the couch, his eyes on the three boys standing in the middle of the living room, "You guys should sit down…it'll be a while before you can leave to get your bikes."

Gabe's eyes grew wide for a second before they closed, his groan echoed by Marc and Brad.

Lowering himself to sit cross-legged on the floor, Brad covered his face with his hands, his words muffled yet audible, "We are so dead."

Marc and Gabe nodded in agreement as they joined Brad on the floor.

No doubt about it, spring break was officially over for them.

* * *

_Hanover, New Hampshire  
April 4__th, 2:34AM  
_

Letting out a satisfied sigh, Andy lightly dragged his finger down her arm, her body flush against his as he kissed her cheek, "Are you asleep?"

"Not yet," Minerva smiled, her eyes closed as she stroked his arm, her other hand tucked under her cheek as he moved his mouth down the side of her neck, "I've missed you."

"Mhm," Andy moved his mouth over her shoulder, placing small kisses against her soft skin, "You took long enough to visit this time around."

"I know," she gave his wrist a squeeze before wiggling to turn onto her back so she could look up into his gray eyes, "I just took on a new client…he's a bit temperamental."

"As all artists are," Andy smiled down at her, reaching up to brush her hair away from her face, already dreading the end of the weekend when she would have to return to New York City where her business –and life –was, "Baby…"

Minerva waited for him to continue, her blue eyes bright as she reached up to trace his facial features with a finger.

"Move in with me," he whispered, dropping his head to rest his forehead against hers, their eyes locked on each other.

"Andrew," Minerva bit her lip, her eyes welling up with tears as she cupped his squared jaw, "I love you, I do, but my business is in New York. I'm finally getting a foot into the best of the business –to relocate would set me back years of hard work."

He nodded, kissing her when she tilted her head to press her lips against his, their tongues moving in an intimate dance uniquely theirs.

Sliding his hands over the supple curves of her body, he gently nipped her bottom lip before moving his mouth over her jaw and down her throat as his body covered hers.

Drawing her knees up, she wrapped her legs around his waist, sliding her hands down his back as he smiled down at her, his elbows on either side of her head keeping some of his weight off her.

Burying his fingers into her thick platinum blond hair, he leaned down to kiss her face, his mouth moving over the strawberry pink birthmark on her right cheek that she usually hid with make-up, "I hate not having you with me."

"So do I," Minerva gave him a soft smile as she kissed his jaw, a hand moving up his chest to his shoulder, "Most days I can't concentrate because I'm missing you so much."

Framing her face between his large hands, he kissed her lips, dipping the tip of his tongue into the corner of her mouth, "You've bewitched me, Minnie."

He felt her body tense up under his, giving her a hard look as pain washed over her face, "Don't you dare let those ignorant, stupid people get in bed with us."

Minerva bit her lip, long lashes sweeping down to hide the echo of painful memories, feeling warmth spreading across her face as Andy leaned down to kiss her lips, his thumb stroking her cheek.

Having grown up in a backwards town in Alabama, she had heard so many cruel comments concerning the mark on her face –the kids at school had taunted her, telling her it was the sign of the devil and that she was a witch…something they had learned from their stupidly ignorant parents.

"An angel's kiss," Andy kissed the pink mark, almost an exact shape to his mouth, "That's what my mama calls it…and that woman is never wrong."

A giggle escaped her as she looked into his eyes, a tear sliding down her face to disappear into her thick hair, "Your mama…is the best woman I've ever met."

His lips spread into a grin at the southern accent she rarely let slip, leaning down to kiss her collarbone, "Your mama ain't so bad either."

Before long, words were no longer necessary as they let their bodies do the talking, souls stirring within as they merged into one within the fire of their passion.

Holding her in his arms as he rolled onto his back, he let a satisfied sigh escape him as their bodies came down from their shared high, his breathing slowly evening out as she pressed her hand against his chest, her words warm silk caressing his cooling skin, "You can come to New York…and live with me there."

His lips spread into a smile as he turned his head to look into her face, catching the shy uncertainty in her bright blue eyes –crazy girl still doubted the power she had over him, "Sounds good to me."

Her eyes widened in surprise at his quick answer, "Really? What about your business?"

"Baby," he reached up to cup her face, his thumb brushing her bottom lip, "I fly rich people around the world for a living…it doesn't really matter where I live for me to do that…what does matter is being with you."

She stared into his gray eyes for several long seconds before a joyous smile broke across her face, "I love you."

Kissing her swollen lips, he moved his mouth over that angel's kiss on her cheek, "I love you too, Minnie."

"Don't call me Minnie."

He chuckled, placing his cheek on top of her head, listening to her breathing as it evened out –she was asleep.

Running his fingers through her hair, he thought back to the last year they've been together –it hadn't been easy, making her see how much worth she had.

The people in her past had done a real number on her, something she hid very well from the world behind an icy facade of self-efficiency and disregard to others' opinions of her character.

Kissing her forehead, he watched her sleep, his heart squeezing painfully as he realized that he wanted more than just to share a living space with her –he wanted to share his life, his future, hopes, dreams and goals…to help her achieve what her heart desire, to hold her during the hard times and applaud her during victories accomplished and goals achieved.

This woman owned him body, heart and soul –he needed to show her that…and he knew exactly who to ask for help.


	20. Chapter 18

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: My weekly update! I do hope to get lots and lots of reviews for this one. Oh, I sort of apologize ahead of time for the lemony part...I haven't indulged in a good steamy lemon pie in a couple of chapters or so and it just flowed so easily. Hope you enjoy it!  
**

**Gaby -love you darling! So looking forward to your review...this one should have you crying but not tears of anger.  
**

**Ses -I miss you.  
**

**Chelsea, Brazilian (updated the GONE Family Tree chapter if you still want to know their ages), moani, lette, all you dear loved reviewers -thank you for letting me know you enjoy the chapter...please continue to do so.  
**

**As always, enjoy what you read and remember to review!  
**

**Chapter Eighteen  
**_April 12__th_

"Wow," Seth's mouth dropped open as Rose walked into the living room, his eyes moving over the criss-crossed pewter gray silk wrapped tight around her torso, the silk hugging every curve while the skirt draped over her hips and fell to her knees, matching stiletto heels giving her four extra inches in height, "You look amazing."

Rose grinned at him, turning a full circle to give him a full view, "Alice sent it last week –told me to wear it tonight."

"Very nice," Seth's eyes followed the fabric, unable to tell how exactly it went on…or off, "I don't see a zipper."

"Tell me about it," Rose chuckled as she took the black peacock coat from the hook beside the door, Seth reaching around her to open the door, "I had a difficult time putting this thing one…Alice designed it herself."

"Uh," Seth took his leather jacket before closing the door behind him, following after her as she made her way towards his dark blue Mustang, "How exactly does it work without a zipper?"

"It wraps around," Rose reached the passenger seat, turning to give him a smile as he opened the door for her, "Multiple times. Now, if you pull on this end here…the whole thing will come right off."

Seth's mouth went dry as he looked down at the neat bow at her left hip, the physics of it tripping through his brain as she got into the car, "Do we, uh…maybe we can stay?"

Rose looked up at him, her eyes dancing as she fought back a laugh, "I don't think so. I've been looking forward to this dinner –I've never been to the space needle, remember?"

"Right," Seth nodded as he drummed his fingers against the window, "No, you're right…I shouldn't…"

He saw her fight back laughter, his eyebrows lowering as he realized she had purposely teased him, her fingers still playing with the long piece of fabric resting on her thigh.

Leaning down, he nudged her chin up and covered her mouth with his, stroking her neck with his fingers before sliding them into her hair, the heavy silk of it held up into some sort of up-do.

Reaching up to grab a fistful of his button down shirt, she moaned as he deepened the kiss.

Pulling back, he smiled at the hum that escaped her, watching her eyes flutter open, her pupils swallowing up the hazel color of her eyes as he murmured against her lips, "You're a tease."

Rose's lips spread into a grin as she smoothed her hand over his chest before reaching up to wipe a finger over his lips to remove the peach tinted lip gloss, "Something I've learned from you."

"Me, uh," Seth grinned as he placed a hand on her knee, his fingers stroking up her inner thigh, the fabric of her dress liquid silk against his skin as he moved his hand under it, "Just remember…I can out-tease you."

"Seth," Rose blushed as she stopped his hand from going any further, her fingers wrapped around his wrist, "We're going to miss our reservations."

"Right," Seth grinned as he kissed her mouth, his hand squeezing her thigh before he took the seatbelt and stretched it across her body to click it into place, "No better way to celebrate our one year anniversary than dinner at the space needle."

Their conversation flowed with easy comfort as they made their way to Seattle, Seth's hand on her thigh as he drove up the highway, the sky growing darker as stars came out to join the waning moon.

Pulling up to the front of the Seattle Space Needle, he turned the engine off, stepping out of the car and handing the keys to the valet before moving around the back to open Rose's door. Her small hand slipped into his as she stepped out of the car, the skirt of her dress hiking up her slim thighs before she straightened up, her body pressed up against his.

"Who's being the tease now," she whispered, smiling up at him as he let go of her hand to slip his arm around her small waist, able to feel him against her flat stomach, her cheeks rosy as he leaned to whisper into her ear, "Just thinking about the mechanics of that dress."

Rose giggled as they stepped away from the car, his arm staying where it was as he walked beside her into the building.

Once at the top floor, the hostess greeted them, smiling as she showed them to the private dining room he had reserved, Rose's breath escaping her as soon as they stepped in.

Window panes made up the outside wall, the blinking lights of Seattle stretched out below them, three thick candles in the middle of a round table, flames reflecting off the crystal glasses as soft music played.

"Seth," Rose touched trembling fingers to her lips, eyes welling up with tears as he led her to the table, her eyes roving over the pink roses all along the four walls, "How many roses are there?"

"One for every day I've called you my wife," he said with a smile, reaching up to cup her face in his large hand, "It's been the best year of my life and I'm so looking forward to the next ninety-nine years or so."

They sat down at the table, their joined hands resting on the surface as the waitress took their orders, the hostess opening a bottle of pink champagne.

Rubbing his thumb over her wedding band, he gave her a smile as the champagne was poured into their glasses, "I've got a date this weekend."

The hostess' eyebrows arched but she didn't say anything, taking her time to return the bottle to the ice bucket as Rose picked up her glass, a smile on her full lips, "Anyone I know?"

"Emmie," Seth caught the look of shock on the hostess' face, swallowing back a laugh, "I'm thinking of asking Vivi to come along too."

"I see," Rose took a sip of her champagne, the bubbles tickling the back of her throat, "I thought Embry spent the weekends with Emmie."

"Well, see, that's the thing," Seth lifted her hand to press a kiss on her knuckles, knowing the hostess' rearranging the roses was a delay tactic to continue eavesdropping on their conversation, "He's going down to Louisiana for his sister's wedding this weekend so that means two weeks without seeing Emmie, which is why he called and said I was to cheer her up or else."

"And that means taking Vivi along," Rose set her glass on the table, crossing one leg over the other, her foot bumping his knee under the small table.

"Emmie adores Vivi," Seth moved his free hand under the table, snagging her ankle and slipping her shoe off before placing her foot on his lap, her toes curling into his thigh, "Besides, if anyone can cheer her up and keep her from missing Embry, it's Vivi."

"Well, then…I guess I can't argue with that," Rose bit her lip to keep from giggling as Seth dragged his thumb down the sole of her foot, "Why is the wedding going to be in Louisiana? I thought the bride's family usually took care of all that."

"Usually, yes," Seth trapped her foot between his knees, picking up his glass to take a drink of the champagne, "But it's just Embry, Sadie and their mom –not only that but Ryan's family is quite large and all of them live down south."

Rose nodded, almost biting her tongue when Seth slid his hand up her calve to tickle the back of her knee, "Seth!"

"Mhm," he gave her an innocent smile as he moved his hand down towards her foot, her silk stocking smooth against his hand.

Blushing as the waitress walked in with their meal, Rose tried to pull her foot away but Seth clamped his hand down on her ankle, completely unperturbed at the glare she gave him.

"Is there anything else I can get you," the waitress asked, having placed everything on the table with the hostess' help.

"Thank you, no," Seth smiled, not once looking away from Rose as he rubbed his thumb against the inside of her small ankle, enjoying the way her face was flushing.

"We'll leave you to your meal, then," the waitress gave them a smile before walking out of the room, the hostess behind her.

As soon as the door closed, Rose tried harder to pull her foot out of his hand without success, "What is it with you and my feet?"

Seth's chuckle escalated to a laugh as she gave him a narrow-eyed look, "Do you have a foot fetish?"

"Baby," he grinned as he gently pulled at her foot, "If I had a foot fetish, I'd be doing this."

Rose eyes nearly popped out as he pressed her foot against his hard crotch, her toes curling as a flash of hot desire washed over her, "Seth."

"Yes Rosie," he cocked an eyebrow, a small groan escaping him when she flexed her foot against him, voice husky as she stared into his eyes, her own dark with wild lust.

"Take me home."

* * *

Seth pulled her hard into him, his fingers slipping over the silk fabric of her dress as he moved his hands over her back and down her bottom, his lips leaving a trail of kisses up her neck before he whispered into her mouth, "I want you…naked…now."

"Just pull," Rose panted, her fingers gripping his hair as she pressed herself against him, the fire inside her getting hotter with every touch and kiss.

Setting her away from him, he reached up to pull her hands out of his hair, placing them on her sides before reaching for the long sash trailing down her left thigh, wanting to see it unravel.

Her chest rose and fell with every breath she took, body shaking slightly as desire coursed through her veins, eyes on his face as he slowly pulled at the fabric in his hand.

The weight of the skirt pulled at the loosen straps, the silk fabric sliding off her shoulders and torso to pool into a puddle at her feet.

Seth forgot to breathe as his eyes raked over her, the current hard situation he was in getting harder at the way the silver and black strapless corset she wore hugged her body, matching panties with a garter belt holding up thigh-high silk stockings, "You're so…fucking sexy."

Rose let out a gasp of surprise as he yanked her into his arms, lips crashing into hers, her fingers digging into his biceps as he ravished her mouth, a large hand moving down to squeeze her ass.

Rose walked backwards at Seth's urging her knees buckling when they hit the edge, a surprised gasp escaping her as Seth fell on her, his weight heavy but so wonderful she wrapped her arms and legs around him to keep him there.

Seth moved his mouth down her throat, sucking and biting at the soft flesh, his fingers working the laces down the back of the corset as his hips bucked forward without thought or permission, Rose's small hands yanking at his shirt, pulling it over his shoulders and head.

Pulling back to kneel between her legs, he yanked at the cuff links, tossing the shirt aside before gripping her knees, curving his fingers around the firm muscle then sliding his hands up the back of her thighs, the garters coming undone under his fingers.

Moving into a sitting position, she curled her fingers into the waistband of his black slacks, pushing her mouth against his, her teeth tugging at his bottom lip as she undid his belt.

Seth groaned at the feel of her small hands against his hot skin, his fingers digging into her waist as he moved, maneuvering their tangled bodies until he was on his back, Rose sitting astride him.

Looking up at her with hooded eyes, he twisted his fingers on either side of her panties and garter belt, his words a nearly discernible growl as he avidly watched the way her breasts heaved with every breath she took, "Take that fucking thing off."

Keeping her eyes on him, she reached back to work at the tangled laces, her fingers trembling as the knot deep in her belly twisted and tightened, her hips rocking forward, a moan escaping her at the feel of him hard against her hot core.

Undoing the tangled mess he had made, she yanked the corset off as the elastic of her garter belt snapped, the sound of rendering fabric causing a shiver to run down her back as she lifted her bottom, Seth tossing aside what had been her panties.

As soon as she threw the corset aside, big hands covered her breasts, the rough calluses against her soft skin tearing a groan from her throat, a moan following soon after as he pinched her hard nipples between his thumb and fingers.

Shoving his hands off her breasts, she leaned down, her mouth moving over his hot skin, her teeth tugging at one hard nipple as he dug his fingers into her thighs, her thigh-high stockings still in place.

"I want inside you…now," he panted, reaching between her legs to push at his pants, her hands joining his, her mouth on his skin as she made her way down his body.

As soon as his pants were off and on the floor, she moved up his naked body, her small hands holding on to his muscled thighs, eyes unwavering as she stared at his hard-on –he knew what she was thinking but now was not the time for that lesson…not when he was certain death was imminent if he didn't get inside her tight little body in the next five seconds, "Not tonight, baby."

Biting her lip, she hesitated briefly before moving to straddle him, a small scream escaping her as he grabbed her waist and pulled her down as he thrust hard into her.

She was so hot and wet, he slid completely into her in that one move, her inner muscles clamping and rippling around him, "Fuck, baby! You feel so fucking good."

Rose leaned forward, her small hands on his hard stomach as she lifted herself off him then sank back down, his hands sliding over her hips to grip her round bottom, urging her to move faster.

It didn't take long before they were both breathing hard, their bodies slick with sweat as they moved together, Rose's entire body trembling as she drew closer and closer to her release.

The edge of that cliff was quickly rushing up on Seth but he refused to fall over by himself, wanting his Rosie with him when he toppled over the edge.

Sliding a hand between their merged bodies, he slipped his thumb into her folds, rubbing small circles around the little bundle of nerves hidden there, his eyes locked on her face as she arched her back, head falling back as Spanish words tumbled out of her mouth.

Gripping her hips, he pushed into her twice –three –four times before exploding, a guttural growl from deep inside him making its way out as a tilt of her hips somehow had him coming again.

Collapsing into his arms, Rose struggled to get her breathing under control, his arms around her holding her soul in place as it pulsated with contentment and all encompassing love.

Sliding his hand into her hair, he began to pull out the hairpins lodged in the thick tresses, a chuckle escaping him as he kissed her forehead.

"What are you laughing about," Rose asked, her voice tired as she let her eyes close in exhaustion.

"Just thinking if that's the reaction I get for playing with your feet, I'll have to do it more often."

Rose's swollen lips spread into a smile as she tilted her head back to look at him, her hair finally spilling onto the pillow and over his arm, her giggle making his body leap to attention, "Maybe I'm the one with the foot fetish."

Laughing, he wrapped his arms around her, rolling over until he was on top of her, their mouths sealing in a heated kiss.

Time for round two.

* * *

_April 14__th__  
9:23AM_

Leah let out a groan as her abdomen tightened, the fierce pain gripping her as she squeezed Rick's hands.

"Okay, Leah," Dr. Lodhi looked up from between her knees, giving her an encouraging smile, "This one's it –give me one big push."

"Oh God," Leah gritted her teeth as she leaned forward, her sweaty hair sticking to her face and neck as she held on tight to Rick, her elbows digging into his biceps as she pushed, seconds ticking by before the doctor exclaimed in excitement, "The head is out!"

Leah panted, exhausted as she fell back into Rick's arms, feeling his lips against her temple, his whisper in her ear making her smile tiredly, "You're amazing, _agape mou_."

Dr. Lodhi finished clearing the baby's nose and mouth, giving Leah and Rick a smile as a cry rendered the charged air, "Last one, Leah, and we can find out if it's a boy or girl."

"I can't do it…"

"Yes, you can baby," Rick kissed her cheek, his thumbs rubbing the back of her hands, "Dig deep –"

"_Shut up before I dig a hole deep enough to throw you in,_" Leah growled, Dr. Lodhi unable to hold back the chuckle –being she too was Quileute, she had understood every word as she kept the baby's head in one hand while supporting the perineum with the other to prevent any tearing, "One push to get the shoulders out, Leah, and I'll take care of the rest."

Leah let out a groan, the weak contractions growing in intensity. Squeezing Rick's hands hard enough to cut off circulation, she bared down, holding her breath until she felt the rest of her baby's body slide out.

"It's a girl," Dr. Lodhi grinned as she held the baby up, her small red face scrunched up as she screamed, little fists waving in agitation.

Falling back into Rick's arms, she blinked tears away, letting go of his hands to reach out for the newborn, a nurse wrapping her in a blanket before laying her on Leah's chest as the doctor worked on the aftercare.

"She's beautiful," Leah touched her finger to a small fist, miniscule fingers instantly opening to hold on tight, "Isn't she, Rick?"

He nodded, staring at the little red face scrunched up as she continued to cry, his hand touching the matted hair on her head, "She's…covered in that cheese crap so I can't really tell."

Leah's laugh was tired but satisfied, her head resting on his shoulder as she gently bounced the small bundle in her arms, her cries dying down as she turned her head to root against her breast.

"This little girl likes to get right down to business," Dr. Lodhi smiled as she handed a pair of surgical scissors to Rick, "Want to cut the cord?"

"Yes."

Cutting through the spongy cord a couple of inches above the clamp, he handed the scissors back to the doctor, turning his attention back to his wife and daughter, her eyes still closed as she continued to eat.

"Do you have a name for her? I mean, if you don't, that's fine since you two decided to wait until now to find out if it was a boy or girl," Dr. Lodhi stood up, the nurses cleaning up while she removed her surgical gown and gloves, tossing them into the assigned trash can.

"Tyresse Kiannah Laskaris," Leah smoothed a finger over her wrinkled forehead, watching her small face relax into sleep, "Tyra for short."

Dr. Lodhi smiled as she watched Rick kiss the top of Leah's head, one arm around her shoulders, his other hand gently cupping the top of their baby's head, "I'll leave you three to bond for a bit. Rick, Teri will be taking the baby to nursery whenever you two are ready. You're welcomed to go with her."

"Thank you," Rick gave her a grateful smile before turning his attention to his wife and the newest member of their growing family.

* * *

_2:45PM_

He let out a tired sigh, rubbing his hands over his face before he looked at his watch.

They had been moved to the post-partum wing two hours ago, the nurse letting them know she would be bringing the baby in a bit.

Sliding down to slouch in the armchair, he stretched out his legs as he watched Leah sleep, her freshly washed hair spread across the pillow, the dim light over the bed pooling like a halo around her head.

The contentment inside him grew with every passing minute, his eyes studying every small detail of her beautiful face.

A soft knock broke his concentration as the door swung open, the nurse walking in with a rolling bassinet at her side, her round face lighting up with a smile.

Raising his finger to his mouth, he pushed himself to his feet, eager to see his little girl again as the nurse checked both the ID band on the baby then the ones on his and Leah's wrists, careful not to wake her patient up.

"Congratulations," she grinned as she wrapped up the baby again, "She's beautiful –all the nurses in the unit fell in love with her."

He grinned as he reached in for her, the little beanie covering her head falling into the bassinet.

"Excuse me," Rick called out to the nurse before she stepped out of the room, his eyes locked on the big eyes staring up at him.

"Yes?"

"Uhm," he looked over his shoulder at Leah to make sure she was asleep before looking down at the baby in his arms again, "Are you sure this is our baby?"

Her eyebrows lowered in surprise, "All identification matches. Why do you ask?"

"It's just that…" he reached up to stroke his hand over the silky clean hair covering the top of her small head, "Our other kids look like my wife's brother –dark hair, dark skin with my blue eyes."

She chuckled softly as she watched him gently playing with the sandy blond hair that covered the little head, "Well, looks like this time around, your genes won out."

Rick's mouth slowly spread into a smile as he touched the small nose, her dark eyes blinking as they crossed, "Looks like it."

Chuckling softly to herself, she closed the door, leaving father and daughter to bond while mama continued to sleep.

* * *

_Next Day_

Wiping his hands on the dish towel, he made sure the timer was on before heading to the back bedroom, smiling at the sight of his sleeping wife, their newborn beside her, tiny fists waving as she kicked out her legs, big dark eyes looking around before arching her neck to look up towards Leah's face.

In the twenty four hours she's been theirs, they've discovered she hardly ever cried while awake –it seemed her temperament was very much in line with Zakery and Andrey…although he could easily be persuaded by Alyx to act out.

"Hey _korisaki_," he whispered as he picked her up, mindful of her head, "How about we go out into the living room to wait for your brothers and sister? Mama needs to sleep a little more, don't you think?"

She gurgled, tucking her knees into her round tummy as he placed her on his chest, one hand on her diapered bottom, the other supporting her back.

Heading to the living room, he gently bounced her, smiling as she turned her head, the silky blond hair on it brushing against his jaw, a tiny fist pressed against his throat.

Sitting on the couch, he lowered her to lay on his forearms, watching her wave and kick, the flower printed sleeper she wore a little too long for her eighteen inches.

Cradling her tiny head in his big hands, he watched her blink up at him with dark eyes that had a tinge of green in them –he was more than certain she had inherited her mother's eyes.

A car pulled into the driveway, letting him know Sue was arriving with their kids –due to flu season, they hadn't been able to visit at the hospital and were getting to meet their baby sister today.

Sue opened the front door, hand on the doorknob as she called out to the boys still outside, Emmie running into the house with her usual exuberance.

Stopping several feet away, she stared at him with big eyes before looking at the tiny moving baby in his arms, "Is that my dolly?"

Rick chuckled, remembering Leah telling him Emmie had answered dolly when asked if she wanted a brother or sister, "This is your baby sister, Emerie. Come meet her."

Emmie took a tentative few steps towards him, stopping when Tyra let out a soft mewl, her little fist finding its way into her small mouth, eyes still opened wide.

He smiled at Emmie, Tyra's head in one hand as he stretched out his arm to his daughter, pulling her into his lap as soon as she came to him.

Emmie looked down at the baby, her eyebrows lowering into a vee as Rick kissed her temple, telling her with a smile, "This is your baby sister Tyresse."

"Na-ah," Emmie shook her head, her soft hair brushing her jaw line as she looked up at him, "Her hair's the wrong color."

Rick chuckled, snuggling her close to his side as Tyra's small foot connected with Emmie's knee, "She got my hair color."

Emmie gave him a quizzical look, "Why?"

"It's the way genetics work," he smiled at her as Sue came into the house, the twins on either hip while Zaky and Gabriel followed behind her.

"Her eyes are wrong too," Emmie pointed out with a pout, her lip poking out further as Rick said with a smile, "That's because she got your mama's eyes."

Emmie's blue eyes widened in dismay, "You love mama's eyes."

He was surprised to hear his daughter had paid attention to the many times he'd told that to his wife, "I do…I love your eyes too."

Emmie turned her pout back to her sister as Gabriel moved to his other side, his finger tightly clasped in his baby sister's hand, Zaky moving to stand between his knees as Tyra turned big eyes towards him.

He watched as Zaky's serious little face lit up with a smile, touching her blond hair with his small fingers, "Pretty."

Tyra's mouth spread into a smile around her little fist before she reached out, Zaky giggling as she bumped it against his nose.

Rick chuckled, able to see the instant connection between them, turning in surprise when Emmie slid off his leg, "Where are you going, _moro mou_?"

"To see mama," Emmie didn't wait for him to say anything, skirting around the twins who were stacking blocks in the middle of the living room floor, her sneakers leaving faint dirt prints on the rug as she ran down the hall to the back bedroom.

"That didn't go as well as I had hoped," Rick looked up at his mother-in-law, wondering if he had done something wrong.

"She's used to being the only girl among boys," Sue watched as Gabe moved around the twins to head down the hall –probably to see his mother as well, "And she wasn't prepared for a little sister –just a baby."

Rick let out a sigh, smiling when the twins toddled over to him, their little hands tugging at his pants' leg, obvious curiosity on their identical faces, "She'll learn –same way she learned with Zaky and the twins."

* * *

_A week and a half later_

Emmie hummed to herself, happy with her patch of dirt as she picked up the garden fork to drag it across the dirt in a criss-cross pattern until there were diamonds everywhere.

Setting it beside her, she picked up the me-sized shovel, wiggling to her knees, liking the way the dirt felt under her hand as she dug a hole –she was going to plant a pine-cone to grow a Christmas tree –they were her favorite.

Then, when it was big, she was gonna put lights on it…and flowers all over so it would be pretty with so many colors.

Emmie liked colors…and she liked flowers too because they were so many different colors –and they smelled pretty too!

Humming as she finished digging her hole, she set the me-sized shovel aside, pushing herself up to her feet to look around the backyard before running to the edge where the grass went into the forest –mama said she couldn't go in there by herself.

Looking around the ground, she let out a happy squeal, trotting to the base of a large pine tree, picking up the biggest cone she could find.

Holding it in both hands, she ran back to her hole, dropping to her knees to drop it in, using both hands to cover it up with dirt.

Giving it a few pats, her head snapped up at the sound of a familiar laugh, turning to look towards the open kitchen door before scrambling onto her feet.

Mou was home!

Running across the backyard, she jumped over the doorstep, unknowingly tracking dirt across the kitchen floor as she ran into the living room.

Stopping as soon as everyone in the living room came into view, she felt her heart do a funny flip as her blue eyes landed on Mou sitting on the couch, smiling down at the baby in his arms.

Biting her bottom lip to keep it from quivering, she felt her tummy start to hurt and she knew it was because he was looking at _her_.

She didn't like it –not one bit.

Mou was hers and she didn't want to have to share him with her funny-looking baby sister.

Unable to hold back anymore, she stomped her foot, hands balled up into fists as tears ran down her face, "No!"

They turned to look at her –Daddy, mama, Granma Sue and Mou –and she knew they thought her a bad girl for not sharing.

Nice girls always shared, it's what mama said all the time –but she didn't want to share Mou!

Unable to keep the sob from escaping, she whirled around, running back outside and heading straight to Gabe's tree house, the edge of the wooden steps hurting her hands as she climbed up and up.

Reaching the floor of the house, she crawled to the back, finally collapsing onto her tummy and burying her face into her arms as she let herself really cry.

He was supposed to be hers…

* * *

His heart gave a lurch as she ran out of sight, the pain in his chest almost unbearable and the knowledge she was feeling this way had his world spinning off its axis.

"No," he shook his head to stop Rick from following after her, knowing only he could right his world –which was hers as well, "I need to take care of this."

Rick took his baby from him, cuddling her into his chest as he gave him one of those looks, letting him know it was understood –this was something only he, as Emmie's imprint, could fix.

Walking outside, he closed the back door, somehow not surprised to find the backyard empty –his Princess had found a hiding place.

Rubbing a hand over his chest, he let out a heavy sigh as a faint sobbing sound led him to the large tree several feet to the side of the large sandbox.

Rick had built a tree house several feet off the ground in between the thick branches of the tree which were sprawled out in such a way it held the entire structure within its heart.

Grabbing the opened edge –there were three sides to the rectangular box with a floor and ceiling, a big opening for a window on the west wall –he hauled himself up without much difficulty.

The sight of Emmie stretched stomach down at the far end, sobs muffled into the crook of her elbow, nearly tore a black hole into the fabric of his universe.

Moving to sit up against the east wall, he drew up a knee, tucking the other leg in since there was no room to stretch.

"Princess…" he reached out to stroke her silky dark hair, "Please stop crying."

Emmie's muffled voice broke his heart, her small shoulders shaking, "I c-can't…I-I don't w-want t-to share."

Embry felt his heart slam against his ribcage as he realized what was bothering her, "You don't have too, Emmie."

"B-but you…you smiled at h-her," Emmie sniffed, turning her head on her arms to look at him, her usually bright eyes dull and rimmed in red as she hiccupped, "And now y-you're hers too."

Embry gave her a soft smile as he brushed back tendrils of hair from her wet cheek, "That's not how it works, Princess."

"It does with d-duckies," Emmie rubbed a fist under her runny nose before scrambling to her knees, her small chest moving with the shuddering breaths she took, "W-when a baby d-ducky is born, it im-imprints on its mama…he b-belongs to her."

"That's right," he nodded, wondering why Leah had used this particular analogy to explain the connection between him and his Princess, "The baby ducky will follow his mama everywhere."

"But then," Emmie took a shuddering breath that nearly broke him, the sadness in her eyes so overwhelming he had to fight back his own tears, "Then t-the duck-ducky grows up…and h-he finds an-another ducky to h-have baby duckies and l-leaves his mama alone."

"Ah, Princess," Embry couldn't take it anymore.

Reaching across the small space, he pulled her into his lap, her small arms wrapping around his neck as she cried into it, a big hand rubbing soothing circles against her back as he rocked her, "That's not how it works with us, Emerie."

"M-mama s-said y-you were m-mine," Emmie's shoulders jumped with her hiccups as the hot tears soaked the neck of his shirt, "I d-don't w-want you to im-imprint on Ty-Tyra."

"I didn't," Embry pressed a kiss at the top of her head, tugging at her arms gently to pull her back so he could see into her eyes, "I can be standing by a pond filled with hundreds of duckies…and you'll still be the only ducky I see…the only one I follow…the only one I love…forever and ever."

A soft sniff, then a hiccup before she gave him a watery smile, "Truly?"

"Truly…cross my heart. There's no other ducky but you, Princess."

Emmie's giggle came out in a shudder but it was all he needed for his universe to light up again as it returned to its natural course of motion.

"When did it happen," she asked with a shuddering breath as she moved to lean against him, the top of her head barely reaching the middle of his chest.

Smiling as he wrapped his arms around her, he kissed the top of her head, "The first time I heard your heartbeat."

She tilted her head back to look at him, quietly waiting for him to continue their story, "Your mama wasn't showing yet…you were still the size of a pea."

"That's really small," Emmie lifted her hand as she curled her fingers around her thumb to make a small circle, "A heart can't fit in there."

"Sure it can," he stuck his finger into the small space, wiggling it around, his smile growing when she giggled, "Because when a baby is that small, it's all heart…that's the first thing that starts forming."

"What was it like," Emmie wrapped her hand around his finger, "To hear a heartbeat?"

"I've heard heartbeats before," Embry reached up to fix the lopsided bow that held her hair at the top of her head and away from her face, "But hearing yours…I was really listening for the first time…it was the most beautiful sound ever…it still is."

"What did it sound like," Emmie tucked her knees into her chest, her small feet on Embry's thigh leaving dirt prints on the denim.

Embry smiled as he watched her play with his hand, her small fingers tracing the lines on his palm, "It was fast, like hummingbird wings…and deep, the way the ocean is…as beautiful as a flower blooming open."

Emmie looked up at him, her eyes bright as she wiggled to turn and face him, "I want to hear your heartbeat."

Embry grinned, patting the left side of his chest, "Put your ear right here and you'll hear it."

Laying against his torso, she pressed her ear against his chest, her blue eyes closing as she let out a soft sigh, the steady sound of his heart bringing a sense of peace and comfort into her heart, soft and tender like the spreading wings of an emerging butterfly.

Comfortable minutes passed before she moved back to look at him, her small face bright with awe and contentment, "It sounds like a drum."

Chuckling, he reached up to tap a finger against her nose, "And it beats just for you."

Emmie's smile spread, her small hands framing his squared jaw, "Mine too –just for you."

He smiled down at her, leaning forward to press a kiss against her forehead before lifting her up to stand by his side, "How about we go back inside? I think your Daddy and mama might be a bit worried about you."

Emmie nodded, staying where she was as he got out of the house, running to jump off the side as soon as he turned to her.

Catching her midair, he swung her around, her laughter the sound that gave life to his soul ringing across the backyard as he settled her on his arm.

Moving towards the house, he couldn't hold back the chuckle when she reached out to turn his head towards her, "Do you think she's pretty?"

"Not as pretty as you."

Emmie giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pressed her cheek to his, "She's funny-looking, isn't she?"

Embry couldn't hold back the laughter, her giggles a tinkling melody perfectly balancing their world.


	21. Chapter 19

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: New chapter! Yay! Got some interesting things going on here and so excited for the upcoming chapters...I'll be skipping a year or so in Gabriel's life soon after Lyn and Collin's wedding. Oh, before I forget and get sued, the song brought up at the beginning of the chapter, 'You and Tequila', belongs to Kenny Chesney and whoever wrote it but for the sake of my story, that is the song Julie wrote and handed over to do the duet with Lian...so in other words, as per my story, Lian and Julie did this song together...it's one of my favorites. Look it up!  
**

**Gaby -Love you darling! Sorry this didn't make it up before midnight.  
**

**Ses -I miss you.  
**

**Chelsea, Moani, Lette, Giannaa, Thing4LovingLeah -you are all so amazing, leaving me wonderful reviews. Please keep 'em coming.  
**

**As always, enjoy what you read and please review.  
**

**Chapter Nineteen  
**_May 3__rd__  
Staples Center in Los Angeles, California_

"_And the winner for this year's Best Country Collaboration with Vocals is…"_

As always, the tension in the air increased as the envelope was brought to the host and hostess in a silver platter, the bright stage lights making their wide smiles seem plastered across their faces.

"'_You and Tequila' from Lian Young and His Kick-Ass Band CD –Livin' Loud!"_

The applause was thunderous as the song played over the speakers, the flashing lights popping everywhere as cameras moved across the large auditorium filled seats, zooming in on Lian as he stood up and headed towards the stage.

"Great," Lyn leaned over to whisper into her sister's ear as she politely pretended to clap, "Last category of the night and we have to listen to him talk."

Julie kept her smile as she shifted in her seat to lower her head closer to her sister's ear, "Behave, Lyn. He's been a good friend lately."

Lyn wanted to tell her sister not to trust the guy but he'd made it to the podium, taking the Grammy award from the hostess before turning to face the audience as the applause and music died down.

"Thank you," a smile spread across his face, Lyn certain a camera had gotten a glimpse of her eyes rolling in response to the sigh behind her, "Although this isn't my first time being up here tonight, this is…the one that really matters."

His dark brown eyes searched the many faces until he found the one he was looking for, "A lot of talent went into the making of this one song…not to mention hours of hard work…most importantly, a tenuous understanding between myself and the song writer…whom I would like to give this award too because in all reality, it belongs to her. She did the hardest part –giving life to this song…I simply supplied a voice."

He watched her give a slight shake of her head but it was already too late to take any of his words back so "July Star…this is yours."

Julie closed her eyes as the applause swelled, Lyn and her mother nudging her on both sides to get her up, neither understanding her reluctance or the tight angry smile on her face.

Taking a deep breath, she stood up, working on giving the cameras a pleased smile as she made her way towards the stage.

Despite the bright smile, Lian was able to see the anger in those expressive eyes of hers as she took the gramophone trophy from his hands before turning to the audience, the applause dying down to let her speak.

Gripping the damn thing in her hands, she closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to push back the hot anger swelling, hating Lian for putting her here –for shoving the damn song back at her this way.

Letting out a soft breath, she finally looked out at the audience, making eye contact with her mother as she spoke into the microphone, "I was once told by my mother…music is the language of the soul. Whether it be the sweet strains of a violin, the lilting notes of a piano or the soulful wailing of a saxophone, it tells so much more than what can be verbally expressed. Writing this song…it released pain my soul had been holding on to for too long."

She stopped to take a deep breath, turning to look at Lian standing a step or two behind her right shoulder before looking back at the audience, "Because I gave this song away…because he took on the pain and expressed it even though it wasn't his…this is his."

She turned to him, shoving the trophy into his stomach, his hands reaching up to grab it before it fell to the stage floor, "Consider it a gift."

With a smile at the audience as they applauded, she walked across the stage, the black silk dress she wore hugging her slim frame, the hem dancing around her legs as her long strides got her out of sight, Lian close behind her.

"July –"

"You're a jackass," Julie kept walking, the backstage people moving to let her pass by.

"And you're impossible," Lian grabbed her arm, pulling her towards a door labeled 'Janitorial Closet', following in after her as he closed the door behind them, "Did you honestly thing I was going to take credit for a song that doesn't belong to me?"

"Were you not listening to me that day," Julie snatched her arm away from him, moving as far from him as she could, considering the small space, "I don't care. I don't want this song, don't want it attached to me, I don't want him kno –"

He waited for her to finish but when she crossed her arms over her stomach and kept her lips tightly pressed, he decided to finish, "You don't want him knowing he hurt you? You think he doesn't already know how bad he messed you up? That every time he hears you on the radio or sees you on television, he doesn't regret his careless words? Unless he's a heartless bastard, I'm sure he's more than aware of the blow he gave to your pride."

Julie's eyes snapped up to look into his, her face flushing slightly, "My heart."

"Your pride, July," he reached out to capture her chin in his hand as she looked away from him, his voice softening as soon as she looked up at him, "You loved him…the way one loves an idea or a possibility…but you weren't _in_ love with him."

"There's a difference?"

He didn't rise to the sarcasm in her voice, his thumb tenderly brushing over her cheek, "Yes, there's a difference. To be in love…is to be willing to step off the edge into nothingness, trusting the other person to never let you hit bottom…but your pride's involved, when it's been hurt the way yours –and mine –has, you won't let yourself take that final step…too afraid this time around you won't survive…"

She swallowed with difficulty, her heart beating hard against her ribs as she caught on to what he was really saying, the promises in his dark eyes making her mouth go dry.

"You can hear it, can't you," Lian's words were a whisper as he moved closer, his fingers sliding over her jaw to gently grip the back of her neck and pull her closer, his forehead resting on hers, "It's telling you to run…to hide and never trust again…it sounds like your heart, doesn't it? Listen closely…and you'll recognize it for what it is…"

Pride…it was all pride, hurting and bruised, demanding she hide herself…that she keep her heart locked away where he couldn't find it and crush it…pride…

And fear.

Trying to breathe, she could feel the struggle as her lungs worked at taking in air, her hand trembling as she reached up to press it against his chest, not sure if it was to push him away…or pull him in closer.

Staring into her wide purple eyes, he could see the edge of the cliff rushing towards him, his own pride keeping him rooted on solid ground and his words locked inside –not because he was afraid of falling for her but because he didn't want to fall alone.

Seconds trickled into minutes as the silence thickened, their breathing becoming labored while they continued to stare into each other's eyes, neither saying anything to let the other know it was safe to cross the line.

As the world shrunk around them, the painful realization dawned on them –neither one was willing to take that final step first, their hearts beating a hard harmonizing rhythm as their eyes stayed locked on each other, regret tasting bitter in their mouths.

…they were at a stalemate with no way to break it.

* * *

_Grammy Awards after-party_

"Oh my God," Lyn's eyes grew wide as she covered her mouth, turning to look at her older sister as she pointed, "It's Usher! Firecracker, it's Usher!"

"I know," Julie reached out to bring her arm down, grateful for her sister's barely contained enthusiasm –it took her mind off her sad situation, "You need to chill out, Lyn."

"Oh my God, oh my God," Lyn couldn't help bouncing on the balls of her feet, their mother chuckling beside her as she sipped on a flute of champagne, her youngest daughter turning to fully face her sister, "You have got to introduce me to him. Please, please, please, please, please!"

"Lyn," Julie let out an exasperated sigh, already knowing she was going to give in to her –she always did, "I'm not exactly on speaking terms with the guy."

"I'm not asking you to introduce him as your very good friend," Lyn tucked her hands under her chin, giving her sister the quivering bottom lip and begging eyes, knowing it would get her what she wanted, the overhead light making her engagement ring sparkle.

"What about Collin," she asked in a last ditch effort –the whole date fiasco with Usher had been quite humiliating, after all.

"I'm not going to make out with the guy," Lyn rolled her eyes as she let out a huff of frustration, "I just want a picture with him."

"What," Julie's eyes widened in surprised dismay, "I told you not to bring a camera."

"Yeah, well, I did," Lyn opened her pale pink clutch purse, handing her sister a small hot pink digital camera before grabbing her wrist and pulling her towards the small group Usher was part of, "Consider this my engagement gift."

"I'm buying you the dress," Julie hissed, looking over her shoulder to make sure their mother was following –she had a highly amused smile on her face but she was following right behind them.

Lyn's antics never failed to amuse their mother…or her, for that matter.

"Sorry to interrupt," Julie smiled at the three other people before looking at the "King" of R&B, "Usher."

"July," her name came out in a tight voice as he gave her a polite smile, shifting his weight as he looked at the petite blond beside her.

"This is my sister Madelyn –"

"I'm your biggest fan," Lyn interrupted with an excited smile, thrusting her hand out to him, "I love your music and have all of your CDs."

"Do you now," Usher's tight smile loosened up a bit as he continued to hold her hand.

"Yes," Lyn nodded enthusiastically, biting her bottom lip before giving him a shy smile, "Could I get a picture with you?"

"Sure," Usher pulled her to stand at his side, his arm moving to rest across her shoulders as he smiled at her mother, "Do you want your friend to join us?"

"Oh," Lyn moved to grab her mother's hand, "This is my mom."

"Get out," Usher gave the petite brunette the once over, her dark green dress hugging curves that belied two grown daughters, "There's no way this is your mother."

Jiao laughed as she let Lyn position her at Usher's other side, "Thank you for the compliment but yes, they are my daughters."

"Firecracker," Lyn looked over at her sister as she pointed the camera at them, "You need to be in the picture too."

"I'd rather not," Julie shook her head, letting out a sigh and Lyn's pout –she sure hoped Collin wasn't a pushover or Lyn was going to walk all over him, "There's no one else to take the picture, Lyn."

"I'll take the picture," a familiar voice offered from behind her, causing a shiver to run down her back as she turned to look up into dark brown eyes, his hand warm and rough against hers as he took the small camera from her, "This way, you can have a family photo with Usher."

Lyn let out a squeal, moving forward to grab her sister's hand and pull her to stand beside her, all four of them smiling as Lian pointed the camera at them.

"There," Lian lowered the digital camera, handing it to Lyn as soon as she held out her hand, a soft chuckle getting lost in the noise of the party as she squeaked in excitement.

"I got a picture with Usher," Lyn grinned as she showed the picture to her sister as if she hadn't been right beside her, "Seth is so totally gonna die!"

"Seth," Lian arched an eyebrow, realizing for the first time that July had never once mentioned his cousin's actual name.

"Seth is…" Lyn caught her sister's slight shake, smoothly changing directions, "A friend of Collin's –he's got a huge man-crush on Usher."

Julie laughed, never having thought of it that way –only her sister would have come up with something so ridiculously accurate.

"So," Usher reached out to touch Lyn's arm, giving her one of his famous heart-stopping smiles when she looked up at him, "I've got a party at a club to go to…want to come along?"

"No, she doesn't," Julie answered as she gave him a cold look, the disdain in his eyes for her words causing anger to boil in her gut, "I'm sure your sister can answer for herself."

Lyn laughed as she moved a step back, raising her left hand to brush a stray strand of hair from her face, the diamonds on her ring glittering under the lights, "I'm your biggest fan and all but I totally cheered y sister on when she kneed you in the balls for being a handsy bastard."

The look of shock on his face was classic, Julie almost bending over laughing as he turned on his heel and walked away, their mother shaking her head as she gave her youngest daughter a stern look –attempted to give her a stern look, "I really wish you would watch your language, Madelyn."

"Hey," Lyn shrugged as she slipped the camera into her clutch purse, smoothing a hand over the pale pink silk of her 1940s style dress, "Talk to Collin."

"That poor boy," Jiao shook her head, long blue-black hair rippling down her back, "He's got his hands full with you."

Lyn let out a rich laugh, taking a flute of champagne from a passing waiter, "He likes it that way. Oh, speaking of bastards –"

Julie winced as she saw her younger sister turn towards Lian, "Lyn, it's not necessary –"

"Sure it is, Firecracker," Lyn placed her free hand on her hip, the dangling diamond earrings she was wearing dancing as she turned to look at her sister, "He's gotta know you've got someone to stand up for you."

"I stand up for myself quite well, thank you very much."

"Really," Lyn arched an eyebrow as a tall redhead weaved around the crowd towards them, "From what I've been reading, you've been giving in more than standing up."

Julie's face flushed, her breath escaping her in a stuttering rush as Jiao stepped forward, giving Lyn a disapproving look, "That was unnecessary and cruel, Madelyn."

"I'm sorry," Lyn reached out to grab her sister's hand, sincere regret in what she had said in her purple eyes, "I'm so sorry, Firecracker, it's just…I don't trust him."

She gave Lian a narrow-eyed look, her eyebrow arching when he looked right back at her, "He's got something up his sleeve…but I tell you right now –you make my sister cry, ever, and I will hunt you down…and when I find you, no one else will."

"Lyn," Julie tugged at her sister's hand, surprised at the vehemence in her voice –she had never heard her sweet tender-hearted sister talk like that before.

"Planning on sinking me to the bottom of the ocean," Lian asked with a teasing smile, slightly awed when she didn't melt under its influence –here was a girl not at all affected by his charming ways.

Lyn's full lips tilted into a slightly frightening smile, "That's one possibility…of many."

"Sorry to interrupt," Natalie gave Julie a smile before looking at Lian then at Julie's mother and sister, "Just came to remind you of our celebration over at the Fairmont. You two brought in more Grammys combined than anyone else in this business, so I'd really like to see you there –we'll be having karaoke since you both seem to enjoy it so much."

Lian looked over at Julie, both of them smiling at the testy tone to her words, the memory of that night still fresh on both their minds despite the alcohol involved.

"We'll be there," Julie looked away from him, willing her heart to behave, "And Lyn enjoys karaoke just as much as I do."

"Oh, yes," Lyn nodded her head as she placed the half-empty glass on a passing tray, "Celine Dion's 'Because You Loved Me' is totally my song."

"Oh God," Julie and Jiao groaned in unison, their voices harmonizing as Lyn gave them a beatific smile.

* * *

_Friday, second weekend of May  
Seattle University Campus_

The volleyball arched high up in the air, sand shifting under his feet as he positioned himself, squatting slightly, his muscles tight and ready to spring.

When the ball reached the point in the air he wanted it at, he sprung up, smacking his open hand hard against it to spike it over the net.

Two of the five players on the opposite teams dived into the sand without success, the ball sending a spray of fine sand flying into their sweaty faces.

"Awesome spike, Embry," Krista –a tall brunette he had met at the library a year or so ago –held up her hand for a high five, Embry freely giving it as they all rotated places which placed him on the right back corner.

"Your turn to serve," Mason –his perverted freak of a roommate –tossed him the ball before turning his attention towards the opposite team.

The blonde on his left –Krista's sorority sister he avoided like the plague –gave him a flirty smile he didn't return.

Spinning the ball in his hand a couple of times, he visually gouged the spaces between the players on the other side of the sand volleyball pit.

Stretching out his arm as he set the shot, he tightened his jaw before tossing the ball up into the air, hitting it hard and sending it flying.

He didn't see whether the other team managed to return the serve as his entire world shifted focus at the sound of a high sweet voice calling out his name.

"Mou!"

A grin spread across his face as he turned to look down the sidewalk, his Princess running towards him with Leah walking several feet behind her, baby Tyra snuggled into one of those baby wrapper things slung over her mother's shoulder.

"I'm out," he called over his shoulder as he jogged across the grass, swinging her up into his arms as soon as they reached each other.

She beamed at him as her small hand touched his cheek, scrunching her turn-up nose, "You're sweaty."

Embry chuckled as she wiped her hand on her pink jeans, "We've been playing for several hours."

Leah chuckled, having finally reached them, "Sand volleyball is how you celebrate the end of your college career?"

Embry's smile spread into a grin, "Nah, just letting off steam before my last final not that I don't love it but what's with the surprise visit?"

A soft whimper from inside the bright printed wrapper had Leah gently move her baby out, cradling her in her arm as the infant's big dark eyes studied her surroundings, "With all our kids, we thought it would be easier to spend the weekend here for your graduation –Mattie offered us her place so Zaky is over the moon right now with Abby."

"They have a very big house," Emmie tugged Embry's chin around to have him look at her, "With a pool in the back and swings."

Embry chuckled as he leaned forward to touch his nose to hers before turning to look at Leah, "Mattie told me they bought the house in hopes of filling it up with children…guess they're getting their wish this weekend."

Leah laughed, keeping her hand firmly on Tyra's tummy as she arched her back against her mother's chest, "She and Lance are going through the process of becoming foster parents."

"Yeah," Embry nodded with a smile as the volleyball bounced pass them, Mason running around Leah and grabbing the ball before joining them, giving Leah a big grin, "Hey there, hot mama."

"Back off," Embry's words were quiet but stern; his dark eyes let Mason know he was out of line.

Lifting his shoulders in shrug, he slapped the side of the ball, "Sorry, man. I wasn't aware you had a baby mama."

Embry's eyebrows lowered into a vee, "She's my boss's wife."

"Daddy's your boss?"

He couldn't help laughing at the way his Princess' eyebrows rose up in surprise, her blue eyes wide as she waited for him to answer.

"Yep," Embry reached up to gently tweak her nose before tucking her soft hair behind her small ear as Leah chuckled.

"Hey," Krista jogged up to them, reaching out to take the ball out of Mason's hands, "Are you playing or not?"

"Yeah, sure," Mason gave Leah one more smile before heading back to the volleyball pit, Krista turning dark green eyes to Embry, "You done for the day?"

"Yeah," Embry's words choked off slightly as Emmie tightened her arms around his neck, her big eyes locked on Krista's face, "I'm going to give them a tour of the campus."

"Cool," Krista gave them all a smile before following after Mason, "See you tomorrow at the KeyArena then."

"Sure," Embry raised his hand to wave at her but Emmie reached out and snagged one of his fingers and gave it a shake, a cheeky smile on her face when he turned his eyes towards her.

"Can we see the room with the books?"

"You mean the library," Embry captured her small hand in his, lifting it up to kiss her small fingers, her giggles a precious gift in return.

Leah shifted Tyra in her arms, her tiny hands kneading her shoulder as she rubbed her face against her chest in search of food, "I'll need a quiet corner to feed Tyra."

"Lots of those," Embry walked towards the center of the campus, Leah's long legs keeping in stride with his own, "I'll show Emmie around the library while you feed Tyra."

"Mou."

"Yes Princess?"

He looked at her as she looked over his shoulder towards the players left at the volleyball pit, "Do you think she's pretty?"

Leah chuckled as Embry let out a laugh, amused at his Princess' constantly asked question whenever he came in contact with the opposite sex, no matter the age.

And as always, his answer made her eyes twinkle as she gave him a big smile, her small arms hugging his neck as she pressed her cheek to his.

"Not as pretty as you."

* * *

_Saturday, 2:45PM_

Emmie applauded with all her might when they called out Mou's name, letting out a happy squeal when Daddy lifted her up to sit on his big shoulders, able to see better as the old guy with the funny hat on his head handed something to Mou as they shook hands.

"Look, Daddy," she reached down to tug at her father's hair, pointing towards the stage, "Mou's getting two of them!"

Rick laughed as he kept a firm grip on her small legs, "That's because he worked hard for two different degrees."

Emmie clapped her hands, wiggling on her father's shoulders as Mou headed to the other side, moving her hands over her head when he looked their way.

At first, she wasn't sure if he could see her but then she felt his smile as he waved back, her Daddy looking up at her as she wiggled with joy, "Want to get down, _agapimeni_?"

"Na-ah," she shook her head, placing her small hands on either side of his face as she leaned over to look at him upside down, "He smiled at me!"

Rick laughed, recalling his teenage sister's reactions whenever she got a smile from her crush –she always seemed to be walking on air, "How can you tell? He's too far away."

"I felt it," Emmie reached down to pat his chest, "Right here –in my heart."

Rick smiled at her, capturing her small hand and pressing a kiss on her palm, "Did you feel that in your heart too?"

"Uh-uh," Emmie nodded, giving him an awkward upside down kiss on his nose, "Did you feel that?"

Rick gave his little girl a big smile, "All the way down to my toes."

Emmie giggled, straightening up and watching for a few minutes as the man kept giving out the papers.

"Daddy?"

"Yes Emmie."

"I want to go to 'niversity."

Rick tilted his head to look at her, "What do you want to study?"

"Flowers," she said without hesitation, her little face serious as she gave a decisive nod, "And bugs. And dirt."

Rick chuckled as he lifted her off his shoulders, sitting her on his forearm as he straightened the puffy skirt of her dress, "That's a lot of areas."

"How many de-grees would I get?"

"Let's see," Rick's mouth twisted in concentration as he reached up to straighten her headband, the small cluster f flowers positioned behind her right ear, "Studying plants would get you a degree in botany."

"Bo-ta-ny."

Rick grinned as his four year old worked her mouth around the new word.

"Studying bugs means an entomology degree."

Emmie's eyes grew wide as she studied his face, the concentration on thinking the big word over showing on her pretty round face.

"Go on," Rick chucked her chin, watching as a shy smile tugged at her rosebud mouth, "Give it a try. En –to –mo –logy."

"En…" Emmie's eyebrows lowered as she turned it over in her head again, "To –mology. En-tomology."

"Good," Rick gave her a hug as applause and cheers erupted a few feet away from them.

"What degree is dirt?"

He chuckled as he turned his attention back to his daughter, giving Leah a wink as she smiled at their conversation, Tyra kicking her socked feet as she waved her arms, the little wrist rattles keeping her intrigued.

"That would be a mineralogy degree."

Another burst of applause and cheers as another name was called, Emmie sticking her finger into her mouth, lifting her feet to rest on his thigh, tapping the toes of her shiny black shoes as she thought it over.

"Daddy?"

"Yes _moro_."

She looked up at him with guileless blue eyes, "How can I get all three?"

Rick stroked a finger over her smooth round cheek, "By studying very hard. School is a lot of fun because you'll always learn new things. As long as you remember where you want to go and what you want to do, you'll get what you want."

Emmie wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head against his stomach with a sigh, "I'm gonna study and do all my homework and learn lots of stuff. I'm gonna be very smart."

Rick chuckled as people began standing up, the noise level rising –graduation was over with.

Kissing the top of her head, he smiled into her blue eyes, "You already are, baby."

* * *

"Your house is amazing," Kim smiled at their hostess as she set a tray of empty glasses on the cabana bar, her green eyes bright as she smiled back at her.

"Thank you," Mattie turned the glasses over as Daisy set another tray beside her, moving around the bar to start mixing the drinks, "It took us a while to find this place. Lance wanted something outside of the city limits and I wanted space."

"It seems very big for just the three of you," Rachel shifted in her seat, leaning into Paul's side as she crossed her legs, his fingers stroking her bare arm.

"We're in the last stages of being certified foster parents," Mattie took the frothy drinks as Daisy handed them to her, setting them on the tray, "We want to take in siblings so that means two or more children at any one time."

"How soon after certification will you be getting kids," Leah shifted Tyra in her arms, adjusting herself before removing the nursing cover, her baby's sweet face relaxed in sleep.

"We're not sure," Mattie picked up the tray and moved towards the sitting area where several of her guests were, some of the others in the pool playing with the older kids.

Lance was manning the grill along with Sam's help, Embry playing with Emmie by the flower beds filled with all kinds of flowers.

Handing out the drinks, she skipped Kim and Leah, knowing they were both breastfeeding and unable to drink alcohol.

"They have a few siblings that are in need of immediate placing so we could easily be getting our first kids within a week of certification," Mattie offered a frozen daiquiri to Rachel who shook her head, "No, thanks Mattie. I'm not drinking today."

The silence was instantaneous as the wolf girls focused on Rachel in obvious shock.

"Rachel Lahote, not drinking," Daisy narrowed her eyes as she lowered the bottle of tequila she had been tipping into the blender, "Why?"

"No reason," Rachel shrugged, her dark hair brushing the tops of her shoulders as she clasped her hands on her lap, dark eyes blinking innocently back at them, "I'm not in the mood to drink today."

"You're always in the mood to drink," Rose bounced her eight month old godson on her knee, little Patrick Roy's tooth showing as he grinned up at her in utter adoration.

"You make me sound like an alcoholic," Rachel said with a chuckle as Paul pulled her in closer, Leah's eyes narrowing as she noticed the shit eating grin on his face.

Eyes widened in sudden realization as she did her best not to wake Tyra up, "Oh my God! You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Rachel's mouth opened in shock, "Wha –how –" she looked up at Paul, giving him a scowl, her eyes dancing with humor, "You have got to have the worst poker face ever!"

"What," Paul gave her a wide eyed look as everyone else laughed, "I happen to have a very good poker face."

"Oh, sure," Rachel huffed as she tossed her hair over her shoulder, "That's why I'm always beating you at strip poker."

Paul's mouth slanted into one of those naughty smiles that seemed to get Rachel every time, "Baby, I let you beat me at strip poker because I know you can't resist me when I'm naked."

Rachel's face flushed slightly, Paul letting out a soft huff as she drove her elbow into his stomach.

"So how far along are you," Emily asked as she sipped her drink, her eyes constantly moving out to the pool where Brady and Seth were playing in the pool with Brad, Bailey, Vivi, Marc, Nika and Gabe.

"We had our first doctor's appointment yesterday," Rachel's smile was soft as Paul picked up her hand, lacing their fingers together as he pressed a kiss to her temple, "I'm six weeks pregnant. We weren't going to tell until after the first trimester was over but I wasn't counting on Seattle's District Attorney's sweet wife to serve up alcohol."

Mattie laughed as she sat down, smiling at the sight of Abby and Zaky playing together a few feet from where Lance was. Although her little girl adored Zaky as he did her, she didn't like straying too far from her father, "It's a party celebrating Embry's graduation…of course I was going to serve alcohol."

"Which is a good thing," Daisy moved around the bar with a Mojito in her hand, turning at the sound of Brandon's laugh, her own smile growing wide as she watched him pull himself out of the pool before turning back to Rachel, "Now that we all know, we can salute this new phase in your life."

"Here, here," Paul picked up one of the beer bottles on the table, his eyebrows lowering in surprise as Rachel took it away from him to hand it to Lyn, "If I can't drink, neither can you."

"What," Paul's mouth popped open as he stared at her in disbelief, "Woman, you can't take alcohol away from me! How the hell do you expect me to deal with your mood swings?"

"Same way you've been dealing with them since the beginning," Rachel gave him a pointed look, trying not to laugh at the way his face lit up.

"Well, then," Paul placed his hand on her knee, giving her a wink before looking over at their hostess, "Got any lemonade?"


	22. Chapter 20

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: The song from Poco here was not written by Julie's dad, I just claim it as such. In case you want to look it up, it's "Keep on Tryin'" by Poco. Other than that, enjoy! Sorry it took me two weeks but for some strange reason, I was having a hard time putting my image of Lyn and Collin's wedding in words but I did my best. Let me know if you agree!  
**

**Gaby -can't wait to get your review, whenever you're able too!  
**

**Ses -I miss you.  
**

**Giannaa, Chelsea, Moani, Lette, and all other wonderful guest reviewers -please continue to review...it's my muse's bread and butter.  
**

**Chapter Twenty  
**_May 28__th__  
New York City_

The early morning air was brisk which was just fine with Julie. After the morning breakfast meeting with Marley –greedy bastard –she really needed to cool down.

Turning the corner to head up Broadway, she looked down at her wristwatch, glad to see she hadn't wasted too much time dealing with her manager's whining and bitching.

She could do some shopping in SoHo, see what it had to offer wedding dress wise –her sister and mother were coming up next weekend to buy the dress which, according to Lyn, was the last thing needed before the wedding set on the second weekend of June.

Passing a newsstand, something caught her attention, eyes growing wide as she moved towards the tabloid section.

Her mouth went dry with embarrassment and anger as she pulled one of the tabloids claiming an expose on Lian Young's latest conquest across the front page.

With shaking hands, she opened the newsprint, her breathing shallow as eyes jumped from one picture to the next –she and Lian singing together at the Red Box –there she was sitting on his lap…and another one of them sharing lunch at some out of way sushi place in Tokyo.

Biting her lip as she began to read, she could feel her face flushing with every word.

_It seems Lian Young has found himself a new girl –none other than his 'nemesis' July Star!_

_The question many of us are asking –is this just another passing fancy like so many others or is it actually the real thing?_

_We all remember the things Young said about Star when she first came onto the music scene almost four years ago but if the public displays of affection at a karaoke bar in Hong Kong mean anything, then it seems Star herself has forgiven and forgotten Young's harsh and at times rather crude comments about her._

_Either that or she finally succumbed to the well known charm of the country music playboy –never say never, right?_

_Guess only time will tell –will July Star join the long line of girlfriends trailing behind Lian Young since he himself broke into the music world seven years ago?_

_Or is she to be the last conquest he will ever make?_

The newspaper wrinkled under her tense fingers as she let go of her bottom lip, the faint taste of blood in her mouth evidence to the growing anger inside her.

How dare they! How dare they take her life and display it as entertainment fodder for others!

It took every ounce of self-restraint not to rip the paper apart, shoving it back into the rack she had taken it from before walking away, shoulders back and head held high as she flagged down a cab, ignoring the stares as people recognized her.

Any desire to shop had completely evaporated, her jaw tightening as she climbed into the cab, pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head, "Aubrey Park, please."

"Yes ma'am."

Leaning back into the seat, she tried to relax, taking in a deep breath and holding it for a few seconds before letting it out.

A couple of minutes into her meditation attempts, a cell phone ring interrupted her, eyes snapping open as the cabbie turned into a street, the condominium she lived in still several minutes away.

Pulling the phone out of her purse, she tried to relax her jaw as the name flashed across the LCD screen, knowing it wouldn't be fair to take her anger out on him –it wasn't like he wrote the article after all.

"Hey Lian."

"You okay?"

It always amazed her how he could pick up on her emotions from the tone of her voice, "I'll be fine."

A slight pause before he asked, "You read today's tabloids, didn't you?"

She didn't answer, the silence at the end of her line saying everything she was feeling, his voice comforting, "Don't let them get to you, July, or they'll control your life."

There were so many things she wanted to say, questions that begged to be asked, but she knew with the way she felt right now, saying anything concerning that damn article would lead to something she didn't want to deal with at the moment, "So what's up?"

"Right," Lian let out a quiet sigh loud enough for her to hear his frustration at her avoidance of anything personal, "I need your help with something."

"Alright."

"I've got a couple of songs I wrote some months back. I'm having a hard time finding the right sound for one of them…would you be willing to help me out with that?"

Looking out the window as the scenery flashed by, she let her forehead rest against the glass, "You and the band?"

"No. Just you and me…and our guitars."

Julie chuckled as she rubbed a hand over her jean-clad thigh, pulling at the top of her calf-length black boots, "Do you need to do this today?"

"I've got studio 'E' for the next two days if you don't have time to do it now."

"I have time," she leaned forward to tap the cabbie's shoulder as he pulled up to the front of her condominium building, asking him to wait for her before climbing out of the cab, "Any guitar in particular you'd like me to bring?"

"The twelve string."

"Be there in thirty."

* * *

Lian looked up from his guitar when the studio door opened, his eyes moving over her as she walked in before looking into her purple eyes, "Thanks for helping."

"I'm never too busy to make music," she answered with a smile, setting the case on the floor before crouching down to snap it open and pull out the twelve string instrument.

Softly strumming the steel strings of the acoustic guitar his mother had given him for his fourteenth birthday, he watched her lift the black and silver strap over her head, digging into the pocket of her tight jeans to pull out a pick made of glass, the edges smooth from constant use.

"Want to warm up," he asked as she sat on the high stool he had placed a couple of feet from his, keeping one booted foot on the floor, the heel of her left foot hooked over the second rung to support the body of the guitar against her thigh.

Nodding as she picked on one string after another to tune the instrument by ear, she gave him a smile, "What would you like to start with?"

Lian frowned thoughtfully as he pulled the capo clamp from the back pocket of his worn out jeans, "Do you know Poco?"

Julie chuckled as she ran her pick down the steel strings, her long fingers moving over the frets in a quick succession of notes, "Do I know Poco? My father wrote several of their songs."

"Really," Lian arched an eyebrow as he flipped the rosewood pick he favored between his fingers, "Start us off on your favorite, then."

Giving him a nod, she played the beginning notes, Lian's smile growing: their voices blended well as they launched into the lyrics.

_I've been thinkin' 'bout  
All the times you told me  
You're so full of doubt  
You just can't let it be  
But I know_

_If you keep comin' back for more  
Then I'll keep on tryin'  
I'll keep on tryin'_

_And I've been drinkin' now  
Just a little too much  
And I don't know how  
I can get in touch with you_

_Now there's only one thing  
For me to do, that's to  
Keep on tryin'  
To get home to you_

The emotion in Julie's voice throbbed as she moved her long fingers down the neck of her guitar, Lian able to bend his voice to reflect the intensity of hers.

They continued to sing, neither one overpowering the other yet each standing out as they moved from one chord to the next, the vocal range fluctuating as it rose and fell, the song coming to life with new meaning as they reached the last verses.

_Keep on tryin' I'm  
Through with lyin'  
Just like the sun above  
I'll come shining through  
Yes I will_

_Oh yes I'll  
Keep on tryin' I'm  
Tired of cryin'  
I got to find a way  
To get on home to you_

Seconds passed by as the strum of their guitars faded, the sound proof room soaking up the last of the emotions. Staring at each other, neither felt brave enough to speak out, both wishing they could.

Dropping her eyes first, she cleared her throat before taking a deep breath, her thumb rubbing a smooth spot against the curve of the guitar as her heart hammered painfully against her chest.

Keeping his eyes on her profile, the tension between them build until he finally broke it, "I'd like to work on this one. I've got it in my head but every time I play it on the guitar, it doesn't sound right."

She took the offered journal, her thumb holding the worn book open as she read over the words, the notes above the lyrics playing in her head as the fingers of her left hand ghosted over the neck of her guitar.

Halfway through, she looked up at Lian, "Have you tried playing it on the piano?"

Lian shook his head, moving his guitar to the side as she placed hers on a nearby stand, moving to the back of the room where a shiny black baby grand sat, "I'm not a strong piano player."

Julie nodded, her long hair sliding over her shoulders as she lifted the lid, placing the opened journal against the built-in stand, "It's a good straightforward tune but I'm thinking perhaps having the piano as the prevalent instrument with the others backing it up might give it a better sound."

"Let's give it a try."

Time ticked by unnoticed as they worked together, repeating several parts, Lian reaching over her shoulder to annotate changes to the lyrics or music.

Reaching the end of the song, Julie reached back to twist her hair into a bun at the base of her neck, tilting her head back to look up at him, "Grab your guitar and let's add it in."

Doing as she said, he sat on the piano bench beside her, his back to the large instrument as she began to play from the beginning.

Another hour or so was spent melding the two instruments together, their shoulders occasionally bumping and rubbing as the music stopped and started just to stop again.

Letting the last vibrating notes fade into the silence, he arched his back as he let out a tired but pleased sigh, "That sounds really good."

Julie nodded, reaching to rub the back of her neck as she rolled her shoulders, "A little bass and some soft drums should add a bit more depth to it."

Lian set his guitar between his knees, eyes searching hers as he asked in a soft voice, "What about the lyrics? Any changes needed?"

Biting her bottom lip as she looked into his eyes, her heart practically beating out of her chest –she knew why he'd written the song, knew what he was trying to say through the music but the fear inside her choked her up, overwhelming her as he waited for her response.

Swallowing with some difficulty, she looked away, reaching up to move her fingers over the white keys of the piano, soft lilting notes coming out as she fisted her other hand against her thigh, "The lyrics are good…no changes needed."

Lian reached out, tilting her chin up so he could look into her violet hued eyes, his thumb brushing over her chin as he dipped his head.

Her voice trembled with the aching need she held inside her as she whispered his name, "Julian…"

His smile brushed her lips before it deepened into a kiss, a long fingered hand reaching up to grip his shirt as she gave herself permission to melt into him.

She wanted to know what it was like –to kiss and be kissed without anger or alcohol involved.

Delving deep into her mouth, he buried his fingers into her hair, the silky tendrils wrapping around his fingers and wrist as it tumbled down her back.

Tilting her head to the side, she let a hum escape as the kiss slowly went from sweet and slow to hot and eager.

Rubbing small circles against the soft skin behind her ear with his thumb, he felt her shiver as she leaned closer to him.

The taste and feel of her had him teetering at the edge of that fearsome cliff and just as he was about to let himself fall, trusting she wouldn't let him hit bottom, his guitar tumbled onto the floor, the discordant crash having them spring apart.

Julie's face flushed as she scrambled off the piano bench, trembling hands reaching up to straighten her hair, purple eyes wide and frightened as she stared at him.

"July –"

"No," she shook her head, walking backwards until her back hit the wall, needing space between herself and him, "This –this can't happen again –it can't –"

"Why not?"

She watched him pick his guitar off the floor before standing up and placing it on the bench, slowly moving towards her, his eyes on hers as she slid along the wall until he had her cornered, blocking any chance of escape.

"Why can't we give this a try," he placed a hand against the wall above her head, leaning in closer to look into her eyes, his breath a soft caress against her flushed face, "Why can't we see where it'll take us?"

Julie was struggling to breathe as she fought back tears, a loose curl tumbling down her forehead as she vigorously shook her head, "We can't –we can't…if it doesn't work, if it goes wrong, I won't…I can't…"

She stopped, her throat clogging with tears at the pain she saw in his dark brown eyes, wanting to reach out and give him a chance –give them a chance.

But she couldn't because if it went wrong, this time around she wouldn't be able to survive the pain.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as a tear slid down her cheek, her eyes closing when he reached to wipe it away, "I can't…"

"What if it doesn't go wrong," Lian placed his forehead against hers, the tip of his nose brushing hers as he stroked the back of his fingers down the side of her face, "What if this is it for you and me?"

Opening her eyes, she sucked in a breath, reaching up to touch his face, "A mermaid has…only so much time to find true love. Every…failed attempt pulls her closer to the ocean…where she will live infinitely, her heart turned to ice, never to experience pain, agony, disappointment…love, joy or compassion."

Taking a deep breath, she dropped her hand, letting her head fall back with a soft thud against the wood paneling, "A broken heart…will drive her straight into the water…she'll never come out again."

Lian studied her face, having learned from the past few months that Julie's 'facts' on mermaids was a way for her to express what she was truly feeling without being personal –she was afraid of giving him another chance and risking a broken heart.

However, he refused to let fear, whether his or hers, dictate his feelings or choices and he let her know as much.

"Good thing you're not a mermaid, then."

Julie's eyelids fluttered close as a surprised gasp escaped her at the intense pain gripping her heart…it wasn't supposed to feel this way.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she struggled to collect herself, forcing the chaotic thoughts into the back of her mind before opening her eyes to look up into his, her voice soft as she whispered, "I don't want to be your next conquest."

It felt like a punch in the gut and it took everything not to double over in pain, his dark eyes going blank, hiding his feelings from her as he moved back, his words cynical as he turned away from her, "Or my last, apparently."

Taking his guitar from the piano bench, he moved across the room, his movements methodical as he placed the instrument into its case, snapping the latches closed.

He was wrestling with the anger inside him, wanting to yell at her, to rant on how selfish she was being by not giving him a chance –he wanted to hurt her in the way he knew best but he couldn't…not when she was already hurting as much as he was.

He knew she cared…possibly as much as he did but her fear kept her from letting go and he couldn't fight against that –he couldn't force these feelings to bloom open against her will.

Grabbing the handle of the case, he took the journal from the piano stand, giving her one last look before turning to head towards the studio door, shoulders and back straight –he may be an idiot when it came to her but he still had his pride.

Watching him reach for the door knob, she knew she couldn't let him go like that –she couldn't let him go thinking she didn't care at all.

"I'm sorry," the words came out in a sob as tears she had been holding back broke free, "Julian, please –"

"Don't," he held out his hand to stop her apology, not wanting to hear it as he worked on controlling his own emotions, the ticking muscle along his jaw giving his struggle away.

Breathing was a bit of a difficulty but he managed it as he pointed a shaking finger at her, giving his head a brief shake, "Don't."

The space between them yawned wider as they stared into each others' eyes, so much left unsaid as Lian turned away, opening the door and walking out without another word.

Covering her mouth to keep from calling out to him, she slid down the wall, a sob breaking free as she buried her face into her drawn-up knees, her tears soaking into the denim fabric of her jeans.

She couldn't let go of the fear of getting it wrong again, especially with her aunt's warning words haunting her every thought.

_True love will come but once. When it is offered, make sure fear is not involved. Pain is a part of love and if your fear isn't conquered, you won't be strong enough to fight when it's called upon you to do so._

As much as she ached for true love, she didn't think herself strong enough to embrace it whole heartedly.

She didn't trust herself to have the courage it took to really love –a courage she had barely tapped into when she was with Seth.

If having Seth tear apart what she thought had been whole hearted love then Julian would completely obliterate her.

She couldn't love him –she wouldn't let herself love him, not when she was too terrified of the pain that came with completely trusting someone else.

If she didn't get pass that fear then falling in love would be the last thing she would ever do…

* * *

_Friday, June 8__th__, 6:30PM  
First Beach, La Push_

She couldn't believe her baby girl was married.

Earlier today, they had gathered at Port Angeles City Hall, just the bride, groom and their immediate families, where Collin and Lyn had been married by a justice of the peace.

Now here they were at First Beach, getting ready for the ceremony –a declaration of their vows before friends and family as well as a blessing given to them by one of the Quileute elders and Lyn's grandmother.

The deep bass sound of the ocean crashing onto the surf served as all the music needed, especially when it was accompanied by the soft sound of the breeze moving through the treetops.

The sun was slowly sinking into the horizon, splashing hot reds and brilliant yellows across the blue sky, creating such a beautiful background to what was to be a truly beautiful ceremony.

Letting out a soft sigh, Jiao approached her youngest daughter, reaching up to gently slip three pearl blossom pins into her hair, thick ash blond curls gathered at her left shoulder, pearl earrings dangling from her small earlobes, "You look so beautiful Madelyn. I'm so happy for you."

She smiled at her mother, her purple eyes highlighted by expertly applied liner and eye shadow, the soft peach sheen to her lips bringing out the beauty of her face, "I'm so nervous, mama…"

"You're already married to the boy, Madelyn," she cupped her cheek, giving her a reassuring smile as her mother –Lyn's grandmother –moved to stand beside her, "Now all you have to do is tell him what's in your heart."

"While everyone and their mother watches," Lyn joked, a giggle escaping at the stern look she received before she turned to her grandmother.

Jiao stepped back, watching as her mother held out a parasol made of bamboo and red silk , blinking back the tears as the older woman gave her granddaughter a shy smile, "_This is a good thing. To find true love is to find freedom of self…it is not easy to come by. This is yours –my mother gave this to me on my wedding day…it was a gift from my father on their wedding day._"

Lyn inclined her head as she took the parasol from her grandmother, her eyes dancing as she opened it, the sunlight filtering through it giving her face a warm rosy hue, "_Thank you grandmother…I'm happy you and grandfather were able to come._"

Jiao took her mother's hand as soon as she moved back, both of them watching as Julie moved forward, holding a bouquet of hot pink and white lotus flowers, looking beautiful in the plum colored dress she wore, the deep v-neck bodice displaying her shoulders while the tight waistline highlighted the subtle curves of her body, the silk skirt falling down to the pebbled ground.

Placing the bouquet on Lyn's right arm, she placed her hands on her little sister's shoulders, leaning down to whisper something into her ear before giving her cheek a soft kiss followed by an equally soft hug.

Pulling back, Julie took the folded red silk their grandfather was holding before looking at Lyn again, "Are you ready?"

Lyn took a deep breath as she cradled the opened parasol on her left arm, the red silk stretched over the bamboo frame hiding her from view of anyone standing before her, voice soft yet steady, "I'm ready."

Julie turned around, her back to her sister as people began to sit on the rows of chairs several feet back from the surf, Jiao taking her father's arm in her other hand to lead them towards one of the front rows, the other one taken by Collin's family.

Jiao smiled across the seashore at the sight of Collin and Embry, both of them looking handsome in button down white shirts and slacks –and no shoes –as they stood at least twelve feet opposite of where Julie and Lyn were.

As soon as everyone was in their seats, a soft lilting sound accompanied the crashing waves and singing trees, Julie and Embry movied forward as one, the sky bleeding gorgeous colors of red, pink, orange and gold, the sun more than halfway under the ocean.

Once they reached the center, Julie held out her arms, Embry taking the top end of the red silk –twelve feet long and three feet wide –before they both turned to go back towards the bride and groom.

Reaching Lyn, Julie moved around her –right to left –while Embry, who had reached Collin at the same time, circled him left to right.

Moving back to the center, this time with Collin and Lyn following behind, Embry gave his end to Julie, taking hers before they worked together to tie the fabric into a simple true love knot, Collin and Lyn only a foot apart once they were done.

Stepping back, Julie watched as Collin reached to take the parasol from Lyn's arm, closing it before he handed it to Embry, Lyn keeping her eyes on Collin as she handed her bouquet back to Julie before slipping her small hands into Collin's larger ones.

Jiao couldn't hold back the tears, taking the handkerchief her father offered to dry her cheeks as Collin and Lyn stared deep into each others' eyes, the lilting music –a harpist several feet behind the guests –coming to a soft stop.

Lyn swallowed back the need to cry, her smile growing at the joy she saw in his dark eyes, her voice carrying to the people in the back row as she revealed her heart to him, "In a universe that is constantly turning, there's no surprise when worlds collide. I hate thinking had I not decided to change the course of my life we would have never met –"

"I disagree," Collin interrupted her, his smile growing at the way her mouth fell open in surprise, pulling her closer as he laced his fingers with hers, "I would have found you…sooner or later, you and I would have crashed into each other because we're meant to be."

"You're not supposed to interrupt," Lyn frowned up at him, her eyes dancing as she got up on her tiptoes to get closer to his face, her chin tilting up in teasing defiance, "And you shouldn't disagree with my vows."

"Just with that one part," Collin leaned down to give her pouting mouth a soft kiss, "But now that I've clarified that, you can continue."

Chuckles from the guests reminded them they weren't alone, Lyn's cheeks slightly blushing as she dropped back, giving her mother and grandparents a smile before looking up at Collin, "I forgot where I was."

"You were going to tell me how much you love me and how I'm everything to you," Collin winked at her, grinning at the giggle that escaped her as she pulled his hands until his arms were around her waist, letting go to link her arms around his neck, "Right…your conceit always amuses me."

Collin chuckled, resting his forehead against hers as she cupped a small hand over his squared jaw, her teasing smile going soft as she stared deep into his brown eyes, "It was the best decision I ever made…you've become my best friend, always giving me the space I need to grow…it didn't take long for me to see that you were the one I would love one day…the one I would love every day of my life."

Collin tipped his head to the side to kiss her but Lyn pulled back, giving him a big grin, "Oh, no, no. None of that until I hear what you have to say."

This time the chuckles escalated into laughter, Collin pulling her in tighter, the vibrations of his laughter causing a shiver to run down her back, "Oh, I've got lots to say to you."

"Get to it, then."

Collin kissed the tip of her nose, smiling into her eyes as he reached up with one hand to stroke her cheek, his thumb tracing the arch of her eyebrow, "The very first time I saw you…I was upset because I knew my life wasn't going to go as planned. It didn't take long to come to the realization that my life is better with you in it –because I didn't start living until I met you. You're my purpose, my reason, my gravity –you're my very soul. I give thanks every day our worlds collided when they did –sooner than later…because it gives me even more time with you."

Lyn blinked furiously but without success, a rainbow hued tear slipping free from the corner of her eye to roll down her smooth cheek and onto Collin's thumb, "Now you've gone and done it. You've made me cry."

"I was told that's what vows are supposed to do," Collin tried to look offended but he didn't succeed, a smile briefly spreading across his face before she pulled his head down to press her mouth against his.

Cheers and whistles erupted but neither paid attention –they had gotten lost in a world of their own making, one where only Lyn and Collin existed and did so for each other.

* * *

The party was still going strong, colorful Chinese lanterns strung from poles giving enough light necessary for guests to move about freely, the music throbbing as some danced, others eating and talking, everyone enjoying themselves.

Except for one person…

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the festivities –she was so happy for her sister and this new phase of her life but it still didn't take away the sharp biting pain riding her.

Letting out a soft breath as she walked further away from the party, Julie looked up into the dark sky, the half moon still making its way up towards the highest point.

Reaching the seashore, she kept walking until the cold water covered her feet, the hem of her dress soaking up the salty water in seconds.

Staring out at the crashing waves, she could feel time ticking away, the breeze tugging at the long curls hanging down her back as the stars twinkled at their reflection off the surface of the dark water stretched out below.

As she stared at the half moon, she could feel the need to go into the ocean growing stronger inside her, the fear and pain she was fighting not making it easy to ignore the seducing promises of blissful numbness.

"Julie!"

Blinking at the sound of her name, she was surprised to find herself knee deep into the ocean, able to feel her body preparing itself for the coming change as waves crashed against her legs.

Turning, she watched as her sister ran towards her, holding on to the long skirt of white silk in her hands to keep from tripping.

She looked so beautiful with her ash blond hair gathered over her left shoulder, the pearl blossom pins translucent under the moon's light, her lightly tanned skin almost shimmering against the white of her dress.

They had found it in New York: a Vera Wang dress with a halter top bodice displaying intricate embroidery, the simple cut creating a beautiful mermaid silhouette.

Drawing closer, Lyn thought nothing of walking into the ocean until she stood before her sister, the cold water tugging at the skirts of their dresses, the moonbeams reaching down to bathe them both in its pearlescent light.

"You're coming back, aren't you," Lyn asked without preamble, dropping the skirt of her dress to take both of Julie's hands in hers as she gave her an imploring look.

Julie looked out towards the ocean, the undulating waves so beautiful and inviting as the moon's reflection turned the water phosphorescent.

"Julie," Lyn gave her hands a shake to get her attention, able to understand the look on her sister's face, fear welling up inside her at what it meant, "Please, Julie…don't give up."

"I'm scared, Lyn," she whispered, looking away from the moving water to look at her younger sister.

Lyn blinked back tears, her words slightly choked, "Of never finding true love?"

"No," Julie shook her head, letting out a soft breath as she looked down at their joined hands, completely missing her sister's look of surprise at her next words, "Of not being strong enough o fight for it."

"You're the strongest person I've ever known, Julie," Lyn squeezed her sister's hands as she continued, never looking away from her face, "You give everything to those you love –how could you not do that and so much more when you find him?"

Julie shook her head, a rainbow hued tear rolling down her cheek, "I'm terrified…of getting hurt again…of feeling pain worst than what I've already felt…I have so little time to walk this earth, sometimes I wonder if it would be better to just give it up now…so I won't have to know what a real broken heart feels like."

"Don't do that," Lyn let go of Julie's hands, wrapping her arms around her waist, "Please don't do that. I'm not ready to lose my sister."

Julie wrapped her arms around her little sister, placing a kiss at the top of her head before pulling back to look into purple eyes brimming with unshed tears, "You won't lose me…I'll come back in the morning."

Lyn didn't say anything, the silence communicating the doubt she had in her heart over Julie's words.

"In fact," Julie pulled her into a tight hug, her arms wrapped around Lyn's petite shoulders as she whispered into her hair, "I'll take you and Collin out for breakfast tomorrow morning, okay?"

Lyn nodded, sniffing back a sob as she reached up to wipe away at the tears, giving her a tremulous smile, "Stuffed French toast at Joshua's?"

Julie chuckled, recalling the many breakfasts they'd shared at Joshua's before she had left for New York City, "Where else?"

* * *

Watching her coming towards him had practically jammed his heart up into his throat, his hands perspiring with anticipation as she moved to stand with him at the edge of the cliff, her smile sweet as she slipped a small hand into his.

"How do you like our honeymoon location?"

He looked over his shoulder at the blazing campfire, a two person tent snuggled in between several pine trees with a sleeping bag spread out right between the fire and tent, "When you asked if you could take care of the honeymoon details, I thought we'd be at some posh hotel in Seattle with a king size bed and an expensive bottle of champagne in a silver bucket."

Lyn giggled as she moved away from the cliff edge, pulling him with her towards the tent, "I'm not a high maintenance girl. You know that."

"True," Collin dropped her hand as soon as she stopped a couple of feet from the tent opening, wrapping his arms around her to pull her closer, his chest instantly warming her bare back, "But you never complain when I spoil you."

Lyn smiled as she tilted her head to the side, Collin's lips moving down the side of her neck causing a shiver to run up her back, "Oh, don't you worry. You'll be doing plenty of spoiling tonight."

Collin's laughter vibrated through her, his big hands spreading open against her flat stomach, fingertips tracing the embroidery that stopped several inches above the waistline of the dress, "You look beautiful in this dress…an angel sent down just for me."

Lyn let out a soft sigh as he pressed a kiss on her bare shoulder, curling her fingers around his forearms as she turned her head to press a kiss against his cheek, her whispered words brushing his ear in an erotic caress, "Make love to me Collin. Right here, between your world and mine…with the stars as witnesses."

Collin chuckled as he gently turned her around to face him, reaching up to cup her face, his thumbs brushing her high cheekbones as he stared deep into her eyes, "You're mine, Madelyn Rou. Completely, irrevocably mine."

Lyn had a brief moment to take a breath before his mouth closed over hers, the taste and feel of the kiss so different from the ones before yet so wonderfully the same.

Moving into him, she wrapped her arms around his waist, his body hard against her softer one as he moved his hands into her hair, pins tumbling onto the ground as he tilted her head to the side, the angle changing the dynamics of the kiss in such a way she couldn't hold back a moan.

"I've always been yours," Lyn whispered as he moved his lips over her face, tracing her arched eyebrows before moving them down the bridge of her nose then kissing her lips again, his words soft against her swollen mouth, "But this time, no one can take you away from me."

Lyn shivered as the top of her dress fell away, Collin's hands moving down her back from her neck, tugging the dress down over her hips, his breath escaping him in a hiss as he slid his fingers over silky skin and nothing else, "Fuck."

Lyn smiled against his throat, her hands moving under his shirt, his muscles rippling against her fingertips.

"Madelyn," her name whispered against the heated skin stretched over her collarbones as he moved his hands over her hips, his fingers brushing lightly across the swell of her bottom before moving his hands up the side of her body, his thumbs rubbing up against her ribs then cupping her breasts, the heat of her skin burning into his very nerve endings, "You're so beautiful…so beautiful…and soft…and mine."

Lyn bit her lip as she undid the buttons of his shirt, Collin pulling her into him when she finished, her nipples hard against his bare chest.

"Collin," she whispered his name against the hard muscle of his shoulder, pulling the shirt down his arms and letting it fall to the ground, a gasp of surprise slipping past her lips when he swept her up into his arms.

She held on to his neck as he walked the few steps to the sleeping bag, gracefully getting down on his knees before lowering her onto the soft fabric.

His breathing was coming fast and shallow as he pulled back, his eyes moving over the curves and lines of her body, his hand trembling as it moved over her skin, watching the line of goosebumps that followed.

Lyn could feel herself blushing but not out of embarrassment at being so vulnerably displayed to him but in growing desire, her own hand shaking as she reached up to touch the hard muscles of his stomach.

He placed his hands on other side of her head, leaning down to kiss her mouth, nibbling on her bottom lip, her hands reaching up to touch his chest, sliding them down and around his back and pulling him onto her.

Collin shivered at the feel of her soft body molding to his, her arms holding him tight against her, the soft fabric of his slacks rubbing against her bare legs.

They slowly explored each other, their hands moving with a freedom they hadn't had before.

It wasn't long before both of them had more than enough foreplay, Lyn's small hands just as anxious at removing Collin's pants as his were, their bodies slick with sweat as Collin moved his mouth up her throat, sucking at the pulse point for a second before lifting his head to cover her mouth with his.

"I want you," Lyn whispered into his mouth as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her hands fisted in his hair as she slid her tongue into his mouth, the taste of him causing her head to spin as her body moved closer to the point of no return.

Collin let out a groan, reaching down to grip her hip and stop her from moving, his forehead furrowed with effort at keeping control of himself as he slowly pushed into her, the tight muscles rippling around him with every inch gained, pushing his efforts further and further out the window.

Letting out a harsh breath as he stopped halfway, he pressed his forehead against hers as she cupped his jaw, her voice husky as her whispered words brushed across his face, "Please don't stop."

"I don't want to hurt you," his whisper was ragged, body tense and trembling with the effort to hold still.

"It's okay," Lyn said softly, reaching up to stroke his cheek, her fingertips tracing the hard edge of his jaw, "Please, Collin…I want you…please baby."

Staring deep into her purple eyes, he framed her face between his hands, his thumbs softly moving over her cheeks, turning his head to cover her mouth with his, the kiss tightly sealed as he thrust his hips forward, swallowing the small cry of pain that escaped her, his back arching as she dug her nails into his sides.

Seconds passed, their bodies merged into one as they fought to breathe, Collin keeping still with his eyes screwed shut as he waited for Lyn's tight muscles to relax.

Taking in a shaky breath, she relaxed her fingers, sliding her hands down his slick back, lifting her hips off the ground, Collin's groan letting her know he was still with her.

"Love you, baby," Collin whispered against her sweat slick skin, burying his fingers into her hair as he moved his lips down her throat, rocking into her, their rhythm slow as they moved together, "I love you so much."

Wrapping her arms around him, she moved her opened mouth down his throat, her teeth scraping against his skin as they picked up the rhythm, Collin so close to coming he needed to push Lyn over the edge before he went over without her.

Sliding his hand down between their bodies, he touched a finger against the small sensitive nub, rubbing it gently as he thrust faster into her, no longer able to hold back.

Her back bowing, a small scream escaped her as she felt her soul shatter into millions of pieces, the swirling colors taking her breath away as she let herself sink into the silky wetness of her release.

Forcing her eyes open, she felt Collin's body shaking over hers; he had his face buried into the side of her neck, "Baby…Collin…"

"Yeah," his muffled words tickled the side of her neck, his body heavy on hers –he was completely spent from the mind blowing orgasm that had followed seconds after Lyn's.

"Are you okay," Lyn ran her fingers through his hair, pressing kisses along his hairline, "Baby, please…talk to me."

Collin lifted his head to look into her eyes, giving her a soft smile as he pushed several strands of hair off her forehead and cheek, "Baby, I'm fine –tell me I didn't hurt you too much…please tell me it was worth waiting for."

Her lips spread into a grin as she gripped the back of his head, "Of course it was worth waiting for…you're worth waiting for Collin."

Collin let out a relieved chuckle as he dropped his forehead onto her shoulder, their sweat covered bodies cooling as the night breeze moved over them.

"Baby," Lyn whispered into his ear as she moved her small hands down the tight muscles of his back, uncrossing her ankles and sliding her feet down his calves.

"Yeah?"

"You're getting heavy."


	23. Chapter 21

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Because it took me two weeks to get the last chapter up, I finished this one and decided to update it now...that's two updates in one weekend. Phew! Anyhow, enjoy the chapter as it's one of my favorites...just little scenes for each week of July -gotta get time to move along, after all.  
**

**Gaby -you're the best ever! Kudos to you for a wonderful suggestion that I've used in this chapter.  
**

**Ses -I still miss you.  
**

**Gianna -you're mentioned here...thanks for being the third grade teacher of my story. Lette -so happy to see your reviews. Everyone else -don't skip the reviews for the last chapter...leave two of them.  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and please review -I need inspiration.  
**

**Chapter Twenty-One  
**_First Week of July_

"We're gonna be late," Marc squirmed in his seat, watching Seth pop the waffle out of the griddle and place it on the stacked platter.

"We still have three hours, Marc," Seth placed the tray in the middle of the table, opening the refrigerator to pull out the toppings –cut strawberries, fresh blueberries, maple syrup, butter and whip cream, "There's no hurry."

"We have to pick up Gabriel," Marc stabbed a waffle with his fork and slid it onto his plate, taking a spoonful of butter as soon as Seth placed the open container on the table and slathering it across the hot waffle, "That'll take about twenty minutes. The drive to Port Angeles is an hour and fifteen minutes –another fifteen minutes if there's traffic. Then we have to find the right parking lot –that'll take ten to twenty minutes. Then –"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Seth placed a glass of orange juice on Vivi's setting, able to hear his little girl coming down the stairs, chattering a mile a minute as Rose came down behind her, "If you're in such a hurry, perhaps you should eat your breakfast instead of talking –that'll shave about five minutes."

Marc gave him a big grin before stuffing a piece of waffle into his mouth, the rest drowning in syrup and whip cream.

"And Miss Trinity said I could audition for the summer recital she puts on before school starts," Vivi climbed up onto her chair, looking adorable with her long red hair neatly twisted into a bun at the top of her head.

She was wearing a pink leotard with matching sheer skirt and white tights, the long ribbons of her ballet shoes were perfectly wrapped around her ankles and tied into neat bows at the back, "And she said next year, I get to start pointe."

"That's gonna hurt," Marc said, taking a gulp of his orange juice before forking another piece of waffle into his mouth.

Vivi shrugged as she placed blueberries on her waffle, one in each little square, "A ballerina knows how to rise above the pain."

Marc's eyebrows rose up but he didn't say anything, Uncle Seth's look letting him know he would get in trouble if he laughed thus hurting his sister's feelings.

Taking a strip of bacon from the plate next to the waffles, he slipped it to Einstein, the hound dog lying under his chair before taking a piece for himself.

"Miss Trinity also said Nika is doing really, really good although she just started last month," Vivi cut a piece of her waffle, making sure to keep the blueberry on the waffle, "And Nika really likes ballet and Miss Trinity –why doesn't the reservation school have ballet?"

Rose shrugged as she prepped her own waffle with strawberries and powdered sugar, "I don't know, Viv. Maybe Seth knows why."

Vivi's small head swung to look at Seth, her gold-brown eyes wide with sincere curiosity.

Seth scooped a spoonful of scrambled eggs onto his plate as he explained, "They teach Quileute rituals –ballet isn't part of them. It's not that it isn't good to learn ballet but being a reservation school, they focus on our history and traditions along with math, history, science and the other subjects you're learning."

"Nika says her teacher taught her how to make baskets," Vivi placed her fork on the edge of her plate to pick up her orange juice glass with both hands, "My teacher didn't teach us how to do that."

"Exactly," Seth smiled across the table at Rose as she cut her waffle into bite size pieces, "Basket weaving is part of our culture –along with pottery, wood carving and storytelling."

"All done," Marc cleaned his mouth and hands on his napkin before jumping off the chair and taking his plate and glass from the table, "I'm gonna go brush my teeth then we can go."

"I've barely started eating my breakfast," Seth pointed out as Marc placed the plate and glass into the dishwasher machine, the little boy giving a shrug as he made his way out of the kitchen, "That's because you were talking."

Rose and Vivi laughed at the look of shock on Seth's face, Einstein running after Marc as he headed up the stairs, the brand new baseball cleats he was wearing echoing on the wooden floor.

"Well," Seth gave his wife a smile as he dug into his breakfast, "Today's going to be a busy day."

"Yes," Rose nodded as she finished the last of her waffle, Vivi only halfway done, "We're picking up Nika then heading into Port Angeles for their ballet class. After that, we're meeting Kim at the Waterfront Gallery –she wants me to do the photos for the brochure."

Seth gulped down his orange juice, placing the empty glass on the table, "I'm picking Gabe and Zaky up. T-ball tryouts for Marc start at ten, the peewee football tryouts for Gabe are at eleven –I'm damn lucky their both at Lincoln Park –oh, and I promised Zaky we could go surfing this afternoon so that pretty much takes up most of my day."

"You shouldn't say damn," Vivi said, hopping off her chair and taking her plate and glass to the dishwasher, "According to the dictionary, it's not a good word."

"I thought you weren't allowed to read the dictionary anymore," Seth stated, Rose laughing as Vivi closed the door to the dishwasher and turned to look at him, "Miss Brizza said the dictionary helps enrich one's vocabulary."

Seth bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing, Rose looking down at her plate as her shoulders shook, Vivi running out of the kitchen to head upstairs, passing Marc as he headed down the stairs, Einstein right at his heels, "I'm ready to go!"

* * *

_Second Week of July_

Rose smiled at the sound of giggling coming from the backseat of her car, looking into the rear-view mirror to watch as Vivi and Nika talked to each other, their topic of conversation the usual one –boys and their stupidity.

"He makes me so mad," Nika stretched out her legs, pointing her toes as she tried to touch the back of the driver's seat, "He took my Twinkie at lunch time –every day."

"That's not nice," Vivi crossed her legs on her booster seat, arranging her sheer black ballet skirt over her knees, black leg warmers matching the leotard, her tights the same pink as her dance shoes, "At least he doesn't pull your hair anymore."

"But I like Twinkies," Nika drew her knees up, the heels of her slippered feet resting on the edge of the booster seat usually used by Marc, "And he's gonna be in my class again when school starts…he'll probably start taking my lunch too."

"Why don't you have your mama put in two Twinkies," Vivi reached up to push at the little curls framing her face, the wisps of hair tickling her skin –after an hour of ballet practice, all the little baby hairs had sprang out of place, "That way, he can take one and you can still have a Twinkie left over."

Nika bit her bottom lip as she thought about it, small sigh escaping her, "He'll probably just take both of them…I wish Daddy would let me go to your school."

"But then you won't learn about being Quileute," Vivi's eyes were wide with seriousness, her little nose wrinkling when Nika frowned.

"I don't know why I have to learn about being something I already am," Nika looked out the window, her frown melting into a smile at the sight of her Daddy in the front yard, Ian riding his bicycle up and down the sidewalk while Patty worked on his new found skill –walking.

"I think it's great," Vivi played with the ribbons wrapped around her small ankles, "You know how to make baskets."

"I can teach you," Nika offered as Rose pulled up to the curb, her Daddy coming down the drive to open the back door, "Granma Meme makes really big ones with lots of colors –I don't know how to make those yet."

"Hey, sweet-pea," her Daddy leaned down as soon as he opened the door, giving Vivi a smile before undoing Nika's seat belt, her arms going around his neck as soon as he pulled her out of the booster seat, "How did ballet go today?"

Nika gave her Daddy a big smile; her dark brown eyes were so like Kimmy's it made Jared's heart squeeze with love, "Great! I learned how to do a pirutte."

"A pirouette," Vivi corrected her, bending as far as possible to be able to see Nika and her Daddy, "And it was a beautiful one, too."

Nika felt her Daddy's chest vibrate, his laughter making her smile grow bigger as he kissed her cheek, "That's good, baby," he turned to smile at Rose, "Thanks for dropping her off. She's really enjoying this ballet thing."

Rose grinned as she handed him a manila envelope, "There's going to be a recital the last Friday of the month. There're permits and such in there for you to sign. Do you know if Kim's still able to take them to the studio on Thursday?"

"As far as I know, yes," he took the envelope from her, hoisting Nika higher up his side, "If something comes up, I'll take them."

"Thanks Jared. I have to get to the house –Sue and Charlie are coming over for dinner."

"Alright. See ya later Rose. Bye Vivi."

"Bye!"

Nika and Vivi waved at each other as Rose pulled a U-turn onto the street to head to their house, Vivi turning as much as she could to wave out the back window.

"Tia."

Rose glanced over her shoulder to see Vivi starting at her, "Yes Vivi?"

"Why are boys so dumb?"

Rose chuckled as she turned left onto their street, "I think that's a question you need to ask your Aunt Leah."

* * *

_Third Week of July_

"Embry," Emily's smile grew as he walked into the house, Emmie in his arms, "I haven't seen you in a long time. And you brought Emmie with you."

"Emmie wanted to play with Lili today," Embry grinned at the little girl sitting at the other side of the table, her straight black hair held back at the sides with flower barrettes, her little hands clapping joyfully as Emmie giggled.

"Want a cookie," Lili took one from her plate and offered it to her cousin, Emmie nodding vigorously, running around the table to climb up onto the chair with Lili as soon as Embry set her down.

Emily smiled at the sight of the two little girls as they giggled over the shared cookie, taking a plastic cup from the cupboard and filling it halfway with milk, placing it before Emmie as she gave Embry a smile, "So what are you up to today?"

"Aside from spending it with my Princess," he shrugged, grinning as Emmie picked up the cup in both hands, a milk mustache left behind on her upper lip as she set the cup back on the table, "I'm waiting on supplies I ordered before I start gutting the house."

"When are you expecting to get started on that," Emily moved around the table as a timer went off, putting on oven mitts to pull out a tray of muffins.

"Sometime next week," Embry reached over Emily's shoulder to grab a hot muffin, letting out a moan as soon as he bit into it, "Oh man, I've missed these."

Emily laughed, placing one on the plate between the girls, "You're hardly ever here. Doesn't Leah let you have any of her muffins?"

Embry laughed as he took another bite, chewing a few times as he watched in amusement as Lili and Emmie tore into the muffin, their little fingers picking at the blueberries, "Leah doesn't make muffins. She makes cookies. I get plenty of peanut butter cookies when Rick isn't looking but no muffins."

Emily laughed as she turned off the oven, spreading a checkered cloth over the basket of muffins, "Are you needing to go somewhere?"

"No," Emmie looked up at her aunt before looking over at Embry, "Mou's going to play with us."

"I see," Emily gave her niece a smile before looking at Embry, "In that case, can you watch them both? I want to take these muffins to Billy then swing by Rose's place to pick Brad and Bailey up."

"Take your time."

Emily leaned down to give Lili's forehead a kiss, a smile on her face as she told her baby girl, "I'll come back soon, Lili. I'm taking these muffins to Billy. You be a good girl for Embry, okay?"

Lili nodded, reaching up to hug her mother's neck as she planted a kiss on her scarred cheek, "Okay mama. Emmie's my best friend so we gonna play with my dollies."

"That's my girl."

Lili giggled at Emily's fingers tickling her sides, turning to look at her blue eyed cousin, "You're my best friend. Am I your best friend?"

Emily chuckled, taking the basket and car keys before walking out of the house, completely missing the adorable way Emmie scrunched up her face, "Mou's my best friend."

Lili's bottom lip poked out in a quiver, her dark brown eyes wide as they filled with tears.

"Princess," Embry's low voice caught Emmie's attention, a sad look on her face when she turned to look at him, "You can have more than one best friend."

"I can?"

"Yes," Embry reached across the table to cup Emmie's chin, "Remember how your Aunt Rose and Uncle Seth are my best friends too?"

Emmie nodded before turning to smile at Lili, "You're my best friend too. Mou and you –that makes two best friends."

Lili sniffed before she gave her cousin a slightly shaky smile, "You are my best friend and mama is my best friend too."

"My mama is my best friend too," Emmie held up three little fingers, "And Vivi too. That's four for me."

"Bailey is my best friend," Lili held up her little hands, two little fingers on each one standing proud as she counted, "And Brad too. That's…four!"

Emmie nodded before holding up five fingers, "Marc is my best friend…and Gabe too. Oh! Zaky and Alyx and Andrey too!"

"That's lots of best friends," Lili wiggled excitedly on her seat, "My Daddy's my best friend. Is your Daddy your best friend?"

"Na-ah," Emmie shook her head, her pigtails brushing the tops of her ears, "He's my Daddy. That's the mostest important job ever."

Embry chuckled at their conversation, giving Emmie and Lili a smile when they turned to look at him, "What about Tyra, Princess? Isn't she your best friend too?"

Emmie shook her head, "No 'cause she's too little and she doesn't talk and I don't play with her so she's just my baby sister."

Lili scrambled off the chair, her straight hair swinging forward to brush her chin as she smiled up at her cousin, "Wanna play dollies?"

"Uh-uh."

And simple as that, the best friend tally was over.

Embry watched them run down the hall towards the bedroom belonging to Lili, several minutes passing before they returned, each one carrying a decorated shoe box.

"Mama made a new dress for my dolly," Lili skipped into the living room, Emmie behind her.

Dropping to her knees, she placed the box on the rug covered floor, Emmie facing her as they both took the lids off the boxes.

Emmie pulled out a blond haired Barbie doll with a purple dress, "This one needs shoes."

"Here," she handed her a small teal colored box, "Mama gave me the box for the shoes. It had earrings in there. Daddy gave them to mama for her birthday."

Emmie nodded, setting the box on the floor before looking around the living room, "Mou."

"Yes Princess," Embry stood up from the kitchen table to walk into the living room, grinning when she pointed at the couch, "Sit there, Mou."

Chuckling, he walked around her to sit where he had been told, leaning back into the comfortable sofa as he watched them dress and undress the three dolls Lili had, the little brown eyed brunette giving her cousin pointers on what clothes went together with what shoes.

Several minutes passed in friendly little girl chatter when Emmie dropped her doll and scrambled to her feet, running towards one of the living room windows.

"What's wrong, Princess?"

"It's a spider web," she pointed excitedly at the top corner of the window pane, "It's got long legs."

Embry was surprised a spider could be found inside Emily Uley's tidy house and knew the moment Emmie shared her arachnid discovery with her aunt, there was going to be some serious cleaning happening for the rest of the day, "It's probably a Daddy long legs."

"I wish I had a jar," Emmie murmured under her breath, Embry turning to look at Lili as she tugged at his pants' leg.

"This is Crystal," she held up a brunette Barbie doll wearing a teal and yellow dress with yellow shoes, "Mama made the dress for her –she's a model and other people look at her clothes 'cause they're pretty."

"That is a pretty dress," he smiled at Sam's little girl, his lips spreading into a grin as she handed him the doll before picking up another one –a redhead this time with a blue top and black skirt –and brought it to his side to show him, "This one's Samantha –she's a model like Crystal. Mama and I drew the skirt and blouse. It's even got buttons, see?"

Embry leaned forward to take a closer look at the doll's blouse, impressed to see that it not only had tiny pearl buttons but a collar and buttonholes, "You and your mama did that?"

"Uh-uh," Lili climbed up onto his lap, her brown eyes bright as she looked up at him, "Mama draws them 'cause I still can't draw but I tell her what I see in my head."

Embry chuckled, keeping a hand on her small back so she wouldn't tumble back as she excitedly swung her small feet, the little sneakers she wore with a brown corduroy skirt and pink ruffled top occasionally making contact with his other knee, "You'll learn how to draw when you go to school."

"Mama says I'm going to school this year!"

"Me too," Emmie exclaimed excitedly as she turned away from her study of the spider and it's web, dark eyebrows lowering over blue eyes as she took in the sight before her, "What are you doing?"

"I'm showing Mou my dolls," Lili gave her cousin a smile, not understanding the dark look she was getting in return as the little girl moved to stand at Embry's other leg, her little jaw tight as she pulled herself up onto his free lap, "He's my Mou, not yours."

"Princess –"

Embry stared in shock as Emmie leaned forward and pushed Lili off his lap, the little girl tumbling onto the couch with a gasp of surprise, big brown eyes wide as she stared at her cousin.

"That wasn't nice, Emerie," Embry looked down at Emmie, watching her bottom lip poke out as blue eyes filled up with tears, "You should have asked her to get down. You can't push people whenever you please."

Emmie sniffed as a tear slid down her round cheek, "But I don't want her sitting on you."

"I know, but you didn't have to push her. I think it would be good if you apologize."

Emmie turned to look at her cousin, the pout still in place as Lili stared at her, eyes still wide in surprise, "I'm sorry I pushed you but he's my Mou, not yours, so you can't sit on him."

Lili nodded, the obvious shock slowly wearing out as brown eyes filled with tears.

Embry wasn't sure what to do –Lili needed to be held, obviously, but if he did that, he would have a teary Emmie to deal with as well.

The sound of the front door opening let him know help was coming, heavy steps crossing the kitchen before Sam appeared at the living room entrance.

"Daddy," Lili let out a wail as she climbed down the couch and ran across the living room into her father's arms, burying her face into his neck as soon as he picked her up.

"What's wrong, Lili-bug?"

Lili's words were garbled as she pointed towards Embry and Emmie, her tears coming hard as she hiccuped. Sam rubbed a hand down her small back as he looked over at Embry, Emmie crying into his chest as he himself did some comforting, "What happened?"

"Lili climbed into my lap," Embry hugged Emmie closer as she let out a hiccuping sob, her tears soaking his t-shirt, "Emmie took a dislike to that and pushed her off."

"She didn't get hurt, did she," Sam moved his hand over Lili's head and shoulders, this time to make sure she wasn't hurt.

"No," Embry stood up, Emmie's face buried into his neck as he hoisted her up higher against his chest, "She landed on the couch. Emmie apologized but you know girls –gotta get it out of their system before they move on."

Sam laughed as a voice called from the living room, "I heard that."

They both swallowed back a chuckle as Emily came into the living room, her brown eyes dancing as she scowled at them, "It just so happens that a good cry helps get rid of all the bad feelings. They'll be fine."

Embry nodded as Emmie peeked out from under his chin, looking at her cousin as she did the same, both little girls staring at each other for a few seconds before Lili sniffed then smiled, her natural sunny and sweet disposition returning as she leaned forward to touch Emmie's head, "Is okay. We're still best friends."

Emmie smiled but she didn't let go of Embry's neck, simply giving a nod as she laid her head on his shoulder, her legs wrapped around his chest.

"I'll head on out –it's close to lunch time and Leah told me to get her home before then," Embry gave them a smile, Lili and Emmie shyly waving at each other, Sam having walked Embry to the front door.

"Hey," Sam called out to Embry as he walked down the front porch steps, grinning as soon as he turned to look at him, "Give me a call when you're ready to gut that house. I'll have the guys give you hand –it'll make the job go faster."

"Will do."

"Don't be a stranger, Embry," Emily leaned her head against Sam's arm as she gave him a smile, blowing a kiss at Emmie who giggled before she send one back, "And thank you for watching the girls."

"Not a problem. I'll see you two around."

Mother Nature was the only one talking as Embry made his way towards Leah's place, the occasional sniffle from Emmie interrupting the breeze moving through the trees.

"Mou?"

"Yes Princess."

She pulled her small face from hiding, the tip of her turned-up nose red as she placed a small hand on his cheek to keep his eyes on hers, "Do you still love me?"

Embry's mouth spread into a smile as he gave her nose a kiss, reaching up to stroke his thumb over her cheek, "No matter what you do, I'll always love you."

Emmie gave him a smile full of relief as she placed her head back on his shoulder, her small arms wrapping around his neck, "I'll always love you too."

The silence was comfortable as he continued down the street, turning a corner then another one a few blocks away, the Laskaris' little house within view as he made his way towards the end of the street.

A few blocks from their destination, Emmie let out a soft gasp as she lifted her head, "Mou!"

"Yes Princess."

"I forgot to tell Aunt Emily about her spider."

Embry chuckled as he looked into her bright blue eyes, reaching up to give her nose a gentle tweak, "That's probably for the best."

* * *

_Last Week of July_

"What do you think we should do," Seth asked as he held the passenger door open, watching Rose climb out of the car, admiring the way her legs looked in those skinny jeans and calf length brown suede boots, the brown sweater she wore hugging her curves, the hem ending past her hips, a wide gold belt around her small waist -the whole outfit highlighted her hour-glass figure to perfection.

"I'm not sure," Rose took his hand as he closed the door, following behind him towards the back of the house, "Miss Brizza had good reasons to support her suggestion. I mean, they're the same reasons why I made arrangements to advance Marc a year."

"Intellectually, Vivi would be more than fine skipping third grade," Seth opened the backdoor, letting Rose go in before him, closing the door behind him as he followed after her down the hall towards their back bedroom, "She's way ahead of all her classmates. I honestly think she'll do fine."

"But see, that's the thing," Rose hanged her purse on the hook inside the opened closet door, moving to sit at the side of the bed to bend down and remove her boots, "She may be ahead of her classmates, academically speaking, but emotionally…I honestly don't think she's quite there. With Marc, it wasn't a difficult choice because he's emotionally and psychologically, as well as academically, in step with the other kids in his class despite his young age. In fact, I'm sure we'll be skipping him a year again sometime in the near future."

"With Marc starting fourth grade this year," Seth walked out of the closet, having removed his shoes and socks, the button down shirt he wore un-tucked from his slacks as he undid his belt, "Vivi shouldn't have that hard of a time adjusting. They'll be in the same class with the same teacher."

"I think we should talk with Vivi about it," Rose let out a sigh as she stood up, carrying her boots into the closet to place them with her other shoes before walking back out, balancing herself with a hand on the door frame as she leaned down to remove her socks, "If anything, this is a choice she should be allowed to make."

"Good idea," Seth hung up the belt on the hook beside Rose's purse, taking her socks before heading into the bathroom to toss them into the hamper along with his, grabbing a t-shirt and pair of jeans from the shelves behind the bathroom door, "We can share what Miss Brizza said…as well as the principal's opinion. Who knows? She might like the idea of being in the same class with Marc."

Rose laughed at that, removing her sweater as Seth walked out of the bathroom, already changed into his worn out jeans and comfortable t-shirt, "Not if she has to sacrifice being in the same class with Gabriel."

"Ah, yes," Seth leaned against the door frame as he watched Rose change, her tight jeans joining the sweater and belt on the bed before she rummaged through her dresser drawers for a pair of shorts and a tank top, "Every girl's decision maker –boys."

Rose laughed, looking over her shoulder at him, seeing the way his brown-green eyes moved over her body, the obvious admiration for the bronze colored bra and panty set she was wearing showing on his face, "That's so not true."

"Oh really," Seth moved across the room as his eyes moved down the lush curves of her body before looking into her hazel eyes, "What were you thinking when you bought that?"

Rose giggled as she pulled out a pair of cotton shorts from a drawer, "Do you like it?"

Seth chuckled as he watched her pull the gray shorts on, a blue tank top following, "I do, yes. I've noticed you tend to match your underwear color to whatever top you're wearing."

"I do not," Rose reached up to undo her hair from the up-do she had put it on that morning for their meeting with Vivi's teacher and principal, moving towards the vanity to place the pins in the little jar she kept them in, "My top doesn't match my underwear right now."

"Well, that's because you're dressed for comfort –no one ever matches when dressed to be comfortable."

Rose giggled as she ran her fingers through her hair, her face flushing as he slipped his arms around her, his lips pressing a soft kiss against her neck, "This is a ridiculous conversation."

"I agree," Seth turned her around, pulling her flush against his body, "We only have a few minutes before Leah drops in with Marc and Vivi so why don't we have a quick make-out session while we wait?"

Rose laughed, wiggling out of his arms before moving across the bedroom floor towards the door, "You never do quick anything."

"Excuse me," Seth followed behind her, laughing when she picked up her speed to keep out of his reach, "Are you calling me slow?"

"Oh, it's not a bad thing," Rose giggled as she moved around the coffee table to keep it between them, able to see in Seth's eyes that he had certain thoughts in his head they didn't have time for, "In fact, I like you being slow…although that means I don't get to experience quick anything –quickie kissing, quickie sex –"

Rose let out a squeal as she ran around the back of the couch, letting out a laughing scream when he jumped over the couch, grabbing her before she could get away and tumbling them down to the rug covered floor, "Seth! No!"

Seth laughed as he tickled her sides, dipping his head to nibble playfully at her neck as he moved his hands under her shirt, one of his thighs between hers as he used his weight to keep her from rolling away, "How do you like that for quick, uh?"

"Stop," Rose laughed as she tried to get his hands out from under her shirt, tears running down her face as she squirmed under him, laughing as he moved his mouth from one side of her neck to the other, "Seth! Leah's going to get here –oh God! I'm going to pee myself!"

Seth laughed as he stopped tickling her sides, grinning down at her as he lovingly studied her flushed face, enjoying the way her eyes twinkled as she ran her fingers through her long hair.

The front door clicked open, Rose and Seth springing away from each other as they sat up, Leah grinning as she looked at them, "What are you two doing back there?"

Marc and Vivi climbed up on the couch to lean over the back so they could look at them, Marc's smile growing at the way Rose's face flushed a deep red, "Probably looking for Tia Rosa's contacts."

Vivi's eyebrows lowered over her gold-brown eyes as she looked at her brother, "Tia Rosa doesn't wear contacts."

Marc laughed as he hopped off the couch and headed into the kitchen, opening the fridge in search of a quick snack –he had just eaten lunch at Leah's but he was hungry…again.

"We were testing the softness of the rug," Seth said as he stood up, pulling Rose up to her feet beside him, "It's a little nappy but I think it'll work."

Leah cocked an eyebrow at them, biting back a grin as she watched Rose's face flush an impossible shade of red, "Right…I'll do my best not to think what for. Anyway, I'm heading out. I have a couple of errands to run and Rick's watching the kids so I need to hurry. See you two next week at mom's."

Rose and Seth waved as Leah walked out, closing the front door behind her.

Grinning at each other, Rose turned to look at Vivi, the little girl still kneeling on the couch as she looked up at them, "Did you have fun at Aunt Leah's?"

"We always have fun at Aunt Leah's," Vivi stated as she crossed her legs, undoing the laces of her sneakers, "Uncle Rick had to put Marc and Gabe on opposite corners twice today."

"That's better than last time," Seth muttered under his breath, smiling at Rose's giggles as Marc came into the living room with a stick of string cheese in one hand and a box of grape juice in the other, "What's the running tally so far, Marc?"

"It's been four years," Marc bit a piece off his cheese, his eyes staring up at the ceiling for a few seconds before he looked at Seth, "Twenty-seven time outs in the corner by Uncle Rick, three time-outs in separate bedrooms by Granma Sue, ten scoldings by Tia Rosa and two by Aunt Leah…and then there was the time Paul chased us around the house for breaking Rachel's vase during one of our scuffles...oh, and let's not forget the couple of times you've tried shaking sense into us."

Vivi rolled her eyes at her brother before looking up at Rose and Seth, "Why did Miss Brizza want to meet with you today?"

"Well," Rose moved around the couch to sit next to her niece, Seth moving to sit on the opposite side as Marc climbed up into the armchair catty corner from the couch, "Miss Brizza wanted to talk to us about the new school year."

"I'm going to be in Miss Gianna's third grade class," Vivi said with a nod, the ribbons in her hair fluttering with the motion, "Marc says she's really nice."

"She is," Rose reached up to tuck a curl behind Vivi's small ear, "Miss Brizza told us that you're a smart girl –a very smart girl."

Vivi nodded as she played with her socked feet, wiggling her toes against her fingers, "I like school and I like to learn new things."

"Miss Brizza thinks you'll learn even more things if they skip you a year," Seth watched Vivi's face as she looked from him to Rose then back, sudden understanding dawning on her as he continued to explain, "You would start fourth grade with Marc and his classmates –"

"What about Gabriel?"

"Well," Seth looked at Rose with an arched eyebrow, a smirk on his face before he looked back down at Vivi, "Gabriel's going to be in Miss Gianna's third grade class –"

"No," Vivi shook her head, not looking over at her brother as she drew her knees up into her chest, "I don't want to go to fourth grade without Gabriel –he's my best friend."

Marc didn't say anything, simply tightened his jaw as he toed off his sneakers, rubbing the sole of his foot over Einstein's back, the blue-tick hound stretched out under his feet.

"I understand that, Vivi," Rose placed her arm around the little girl's shoulders to tuck her into her side, "But a girl as smart as you needs to be challenged."

"I'm not smart," Vivi shook her head as she looked up at Seth, her gold-brown eyes bright with tears, "I can be stupid –I really can."

Seth chuckled as he pulled her into his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck as she cried into his shoulder, "You don't have to be stupid, Vivi. If you don't want to skip to fourth grade, you don't have too."

"I don't?"

"Of course not, Ladybug," Seth kissed her forehead as he stroked his hand down her back, trying not to grimace when she rubbed her face against his shirt, "Oh come on. You're leaving snot all over my shirt."

Vivi let out a giggle followed by a hiccup as she pulled back, "I don't have snot."

"Really," Seth tickled her sides, her giggles making him smile as she tried to wiggle out from his hands, "And why is that?"

"'Cause I'm a girl."


	24. Chapter 22

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Chapter for this weekend! Hope y'all enjoy it! It's not as long as the usual or shorter than the unusual...somewhere in between.  
**

**Gaby -your my muse's best friend. Thank you  
**

**Ses -I still miss you  
**

**Chelsea, Lette -thank you girls. all you other readers -please don't be shy, leave a review please.  
**

**As always, read and enjoy and please, for my sake, review!  
**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

_New York City  
First Week of August_

Strumming the same five notes over and over again, she kept her eyes on a spot on the black rubber floor as the first of the band packed up their instruments.

Most of them called out a farewell, none expecting a response, all of them too familiar with the occasional funks she sometimes slipped into.

Not looking up, her fingers still moving over the steel strings of her guitar, she knew she wasn't alone –Adam's concern was starting to irritate her.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine," she murmured as she switched from a "G" to an "A minor" to a "C" then an "F sharp" before ending with a "D" and starting all over again.

"Are you sure?"

Her jaw tightened as she slid her fingers down the neck of the guitar, playing the same five notes at a higher frequency, "Yes, I'm sure."

"You've been down lately."

Something inside her snapped as she growled under her breath, never looking up from the spot on the floor, "I've taken my Prozac –I'm calm, I'm relaxed, so fuck off."

Her words echoed in the silence, her face flushing as she realized what she had said.

"Wow," Adam was staring at her in surprise as she finally looked up, regret shining in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Adam," Julie lifted her guitar off her lap, the strap sliding down her arm as she set it between her legs, "You're just trying to be a friend and I'm being a total bitch."

Adam lifted a shoulder as he gave her a teasing smile, "No big deal…it was kind of hot."

Julie frowned as she moved to step down from the stool she was sitting on, Adams' hand on her arm stopping her, "I'm just kidding. I…you need a friend, Julie. Someone to talk too. Let me take you out for coffee."

Julie shook her head, the thick braid her hair was in sliding over her shoulder, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh, come on. You just bit my head off –make it up to me with a cup of coffee."

Julie shook her head again, moving off the stool to place her guitar in its case, "Adam –"

"As friends, Julie. Friends have coffee all the time. Maybe chat a little. What will it hurt?"

Staring at the purple felt that lined the inside of her guitar case, she wondered if what Adam had said was a good idea."

She did need a friend to talk too after all…maybe an impartial person could give her advice about what to do with the mess that was her life.

"Alright…I could use someone to talk too."

"And caffeine will put you in a better mood."

* * *

_Ilbilbie, Australia_

Tossing an almond into the air, he easily caught it in his mouth, biting down on the nut as he crossed his ankles, his heels resting on the railing several feet from the rocking chair he was sitting in.

He had left New York City a couple of days after the incident with July, needing time and space to think through what he wanted to do.

Tossing another almond in the air, he caught it, munching on it as he looked out to the spreading hills stretching out from the front porch of the six room ranch, the sky a hot blue that seemed to blend into the green of the earth.

It had taken him some days to see how misplaced his anger was –he shouldn't be angry at July for wanting to protect her heart.

The one he should be angry at was Seth –hell, if it weren't for Rose, he would have already headed to La Push to beat the crap out of his cousin.

If only to get rid of this anger riding him.

Tossing another almond, he rocked forward slightly before straightening his knees to rock back, staying that way as a far off plume of dust caught his attention, letting him know someone was on the road leading into the thousand acre ranch.

Just what he needed –visitors nosing around.

Staying where he was, he methodically tossed almond after almond up into the air, catching each one as he kept his eyes on the growing dust cloud, able to make out a bright blue car, the sun glinting off a windshield.

Reaching up to tug the brim of his worn out cowboy hat down, he watched as the car stopped several feet from the porch, the glare off the windshield making it impossible to see who it was but he still didn't move.

No point in being hospitable when guests were the last thing he wanted.

Tossing another almond into the air, he crunched down on it as soon as it landed in his mouth, watching as the driver's door opened, his eyes narrowing as a tall willowy blond stepped out.

She looked like a runway model, with her hair perfectly styled, expensive designer sunglasses covering eyes he knew to be the exact shade of grass in spring time.

The blue summer dress she wore hugged all the right places, the skirt fluttering a few inches above her knees.

Placing an almond between his teeth, he bit down as she closed the door, adjusting a Chanel purse over her shoulder, rolled papers in one hand as she made her way towards the porch, the Manolos she wore completely out of place in the rugged outback surroundings.

He knew every single brand she wore –he was, after all, paying for it all.

"Didn't expect to find you here," she stepped up into the porch, pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head, fingernails manicured and perfectly shaped.

"What are you doing here, Camille," Lian asked without looking at her, tossing another almond up into the air –it was a habit he knew annoyed her and it gave him great pleasure doing it.

"Just checking up on my investments," Camille's voice was slightly accented, something he was sure she had picked up from living in that little Italian villa outside of Rome she'd bought with his money.

"Your investments," Lian let out a chuckle as he tossed another nut, easily catching it in his mouth as he dug another almond from the tin can in his hand, "Is Italy not enough?"

"Darling, you know well enough more is better," Camille leaned against the porch railing, crossing her ankles, "Wasn't that your motto when we were married?"

Lian didn't reply, keeping his eyes on the horizon as he tossed another almond into the air, watching as a couple of the horses he had bought last year make their way across the expansive field towards the fence.

"I must say, you've had me worried for a while there," Camille held the rolled paper in both hands as she tilted her head to the side, the styled curls tumbling down her shoulder, "I thought perhaps you've finally found someone to take a risk with again."

"I have," Lian re-crossed his ankles as he picked out an almond, tossing it into the air, not seeing it necessary to give an explanation.

"Perhaps _you_ have," Camille gave him a smile as she straightened up, holding out the rolled paper, "Although I don't think she's interested."

Lian didn't take the paper, keeping his attention on his almonds as Camille tossed the paper onto his lap.

It slid off the jeans he wore, the rolled up paper landing on the wooden porch, uncurling enough for him to see the front cover.

Without saying anything else, his ex-wife walked down the porch steps towards her car, giving him a jaunty wave before getting in.

He kept his eyes on the vehicle as it made a U-turn to go back the way it had come, the tires kicking up dust.

Not moving until the dust settled and the car was no longer in sight, he placed the tin can of almonds on the upside down barrel beside the chair, dropping his feet to the porch floor as he leaned over to pick up the tabloid.

The muscle in his jaw ticked as he read the big letters across the paper –_JULY STAR HAS MOVED ON._

Studying the picture under the words, he could feel the anger welling up inside him.

The table between them was obviously one of those coffee shop tables, so small that it was impossible to keep from touching, Adam's hand covering Julie's as she picked up a coffee cup with the other.

That touchy feely son of a bitch actually thought he could move in on his girl!

And that was the crux of the matter –no matter what, and despite July's fear of getting hurt, she was his and there was no way he was going to let her slip away.

Tossing the paper onto the front porch, he stood up, leaving a booted footprint right over Adam's face as he made his way into the house, phone in hand as he called his travel agent.

Three rings and an answer later, Lian made plans to return to New York City on the next available flight.

* * *

_First Day of School in mid-August_

Rick made sure to close the back door softly, not wanting to wake his Leah or their kids.

Moving towards the kitchen sink, he filled up a glass with water, rolling his shoulders back as he took a sip.

He had gotten plenty of sleep last night which was good what with the new school year starting up although he'd been back to work since the week before, preparing lesson plans as well as scheduling upcoming track meets.

Rinsing the glass, he placed it on the dish rack before moving into the hall, his eyebrows lowering when he saw the light coming from his daughter's room.

Stopping by the opened doorway, he silently watched as Emerie, still wearing her yellow ladybug printed footie pajamas, meticulously took out the things Leah had packed into a child sized backpack the day before.

A smile tugged at his lips as she placed a new box of crayons on top of a notebook –it had not on the list of supplies given by the kindergarten teacher but she had insisted on it –nodding to herself before pulling out an Elmer's bottle of glue.

Another nod followed the ruler and the still packaged child scissors, the tousled curls of fine dark hair flopping around her ears with every nod she gave.

He couldn't hold back the chuckle, smiling when she spun around to look at him, "What are you doing up, _glikia mou_?"

"Making sure I have everything for school today."

"Your mom put everything that was on the list in your backpack," he moved across the room, the butterfly printed rug soft under his bare feet, "And you should be sleeping."

"But I'm going to school today," Emmie looked up at him, big blue eyes bright and alert as she pulled out a package of pencils.

"I know you are, _meli mou_," he took the pencils from her before picking her up and into his lap, "But it doesn't start for another three hours and you need to get some sleep or you'll get tired before nap time."

"There's nap time at school," Emmie looked up at him with obvious dismay –she didn't like nap time, always put up a fuss until she fell asleep.

"For the little ones like you, yes," Rick cupped her small face in his hand, "Your brain is still growing and learning lots of things so it needs to rest more."

"Oh," Emmie curled her toes against his thigh, a finger in her mouth as she thought it over, "Does nap time make you smarter?"

Rick smiled as he smoothed her hair off her forehead, "It helps."

He could tell Emmie didn't like his answer but she crawled into her bed, watching as he returned her school supplies to her backpack, the big blue and purple butterfly on the front making her happy.

"Daddy."

"Yes Emmie," he zipped the bag close, placing it on the floor against the bookcase beside her bed.

"Can you make chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast?"

He smiled, leaning over to kiss her forehead, holding the comforter as she got under it, "Sure."

Tucking the flower printed blanket around her small body, he kissed her cheek before standing up and moving to the door, finally seeing how his little girl had reached the light switch, "Emerie."

"Yes Daddy."

He pointed at the plastic case that usually held her stuffed animals (those were all piled on her rocking chair) –it was turned upside down and pushed up against the wall, "I don't want you climbing this. You could get hurt."

"Okay Daddy," she hugged Mou-bear, her rosebud mouth spreading into a smile when he smiled at her, "_S 'agapó̱_, _bampá_." ***I love you, Daddy***

"_S 'agapó̱ pára polý mo̱ró."_ ***I love you too baby***

* * *

He checked his watch, seeing he still had ten minutes of waiting.

Leah had told him the kindergarten class let out at two thirty but he had wanted to make sure not to run late.

Besides, he wasn't the only one in the parking lot. There were two other people leaning against their cars –mothers more than likely.

Crossing his ankles, he slipped his fingers into the pockets of his jeans, looking around the school yard, one of the elementary classes in the playground –probably their recess time.

Looking at his watch again, he decided it was okay to head into the building, opening the door leading into the school's office as soon as he walked into the school.

Standing at the front desk, he waited a minute before clearing his throat, somewhat amused when the secretary –a young girl in her mid-twenties –looked up, her mouth falling open for a few seconds before she blushed, reaching up to touch her hair, copper red curls piled at the top of her head and held in place with what looked like two pencils and a BIC pen, "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Embry pulled out his wallet to remove the ID from its slot, "I was told to come in here to have my ID copied. I'm on the list of people authorized to pick up Emerie Laskaris from school."

"Oh," she stared at him for a few more seconds, nodding as a blush stole across her face again, "Yes, of course. Uhm…"

She stood up, moving towards one of the file cabinets containing student records, blushing bright red when she tripped on her own two feet.

Embry looked down at the desk, biting back a smile, not wanting to embarrass her further.

Finding the file on Emerie Rachel Laskaris in the second to last drawer, she straightened up to move towards the counter, hitting her knee against the still opened drawer, "Ouch!"

Embry couldn't ignore that, the whack to her knee had been very loud, "You okay?"

"Yes," she nodded, unable to look at him as she limped towards the counter, opening the file folder to pull out the list Mrs. Laskaris had given them when she had registered her young daughter into kindergarten, "Can I borrow your ID?"

He gave her the ID, watching as she studied it before taking a pencil from her up-do to write something next to his name on the list.

Still unable to look at him, she limped towards the copier, reaching up to tuck a curl behind her ear –it had sprung free as soon as she had removed the pencil.

A couple of minutes passed by before she returned with his ID, placing the copy behind the list as she finally looked up to give him a shy smile.

"Whenever you come to pick her up, stop here first. We'll give you a pass to give to her teacher."

"Thanks," Embry slipped the ID into its slot, returning the wallet to the back pocket of his jeans as he watched her watch him.

A couple of minutes passed before he gave her a smile, "Can I have the pass?"

"Oh," she exclaimed as her face turned red again, opening a drawer and pulling out a half sheet of pink paper, taking the pen from her hair to fill it out, more curls tumbling down to her shoulders, "Here you go."

"Thank you," he took the offered pass, folding it as he turned towards the door, looking over his shoulder when he opened in, "Ice your knee if you don't want it to swell."

She blushed, giving him a nod as he stepped out of the office, the door shutting behind him.

Dear God! Cutest guy she'd ever seen and she had been a total spaz!

No wonder she was still single.

Embry headed down the hallway, opening the piece of paper the secretary had given him to read the teacher's name and room number.

Good thing Forks Elementary was small –there was no way to get lost in this building.

Knocking on the door, he opened it when the teacher called out, grinning as soon as he saw his Princess, her hair gathered in a ponytail, a large white bow at the top.

She was coloring a piece of paper as she swung her feet, the shoelaces of one of the pink and white sneakers undone.

"May I help you," the kindergarten teacher, a Mrs. Birden, stood up from her desk as Emmie's head whipped around, her round little face brightening as she wiggled out of her chair to run to him, "Mou!"

"Hey Princess," Embry lifted her up high, laughing as she reached down to pat his cheeks.

"Are you my surprise?"

Embry laughed as he settled her on his arm, making sure the pink skirt jumper she wore with a white collared blouse was pulled down, the ruffled edge an inch below her knees, "Surprise?"

"Mama said I was getting a surprise when school was over," she kept her hands on his face, giggling when he gave her a kiss on the nose.

"I'm half of the surprise," he said, giving the pink pass to the teacher, never once looking away from the bright blue eyes smiling at him.

"What's the other half," she leaned forward to touch her nose to his, giggling when he crossed his eyes.

"Ice cream."

Emmie let out a gasp, "At the ice cream place?"

"Yep," Embry laughed at her squeal, leaning down to place her on the floor, "Go get your stuff."

"But I haven't shown you my school yet," Emmie took two of his fingers in her small hand, pulling him towards the table she had been sitting at, "This is my place. See? It has my name."

"I see," Embry grinned as she tapped a little finger against her name taped to the desk.

"And over here is my cubby," she pulled him across the room to point at a long cubby, a coat hook on each side with Emmie's name taped at the top, "I can put my jacket and um-rella and boots in here."

"I see you hung your backpack on the back hook," he pointed at the pink bag with a large blue and purple butterfly covered with glitter in the front.

"Yep," Emmie pulled him back towards her table to point at the chair across from hers, "And my new friend sits here. See? It says Amy."

"I see that," Embry smiled down at her as she looked up at him, her own smile big and beautiful as she towed him around the table towards a couple of bookcases and some colorful bean bags on a geometric bright colored rug, "This is the reading corner. Sit here."

Embry sat down on the bean bag she pulled him too, chuckling as she skipped to one of the bookcases, coming back with a picture book in both hands, "Teacher read this to us. I'm gonna read it to you."

"Princess," Embry let her climb into his lap, smiling as she opened the book over her knees, "Your teacher might need to go home."

"Oh, don't mind me," Mrs. Birden looked up from her desk where she had been returned to continue working on lesson plans; "I still have to wait for Geordie's mom."

Embry looked towards a little boy sitting at a table nearest the teacher's desk, a mop of blond hair the only thing visible since the kid had his face buried in his arms.

"Mou," Emmie reached up to pat his jaw, "I'm gonna read you the book."

He turned his attention back to her, a smile spreading across his face as she pointed at the picture of a green caterpillar.

Embry's smile kept growing as she told him the story –as much as she could remember from story time with Mrs. Birden -adding a couple of details of her own. When she got to the last glossy page, she closed the book and looked up at him, "We can get ice cream now."

"Alright then," Embry urged her off his lap, getting up from the bean bag without difficulty, "Put the book back and go get your things."

Embry watched as she did what she was told before skipping to her table, carefully placing her crayons into the box one at a time before running to her cubby to get her backpack, struggling with the zipper.

"Want help, Princess?"

"No," Emmie shook her head, looking up at him with a serious look in her blue eyes, "I can do it on my own."

Embry grinned, watching her work the zipper until she got it.

Placing the crayon box into the backpack, she zipped it up before picking up the picture she had been coloring, "I did this for you, Mou."

"Wow," Embry took the sheet of paper from her, an admiring smile on his face as he studied the swirls and scribbles of multiple colors, "This is really good, Princess."

"It's a flower garden," Emmie handed him her backpack, running back to her assigned cubby to take her pink sweater from the hook.

"A very pretty one too," Embry moved towards the door, Emmie handing him her sweater before lifting her arms up for him to pick her up.

Sliding the straps of the backpack onto his left arm and holding the sweater in his right hand, he picked her up, her small arms wrapping around his neck, "Can I have nuts in my ice cream?"

"Of course."

"And strawberries?"

"Yes."

Emmie tightened her arms around his neck as he walked out of the school building towards his car, "And whip cream?"

"Sure," Embry chuckled, pulling the keys out of the pocket of his jeans when he reached the Rabbit, unlocking the door and leaning down to place her into the car seat he kept in the backseat, "Anything you want to put in your ice cream, you can get."

Emmie gave him a bright smile, reaching up to touch his cheek, "I won't tell Daddy."

Embry laughed as he leaned over to kiss her forehead, placing the backpack and sweater on the seat next to Emmie, "You're the best, Princess."

He drove them out of the school's parking lot, listening to her chatter away about her first day at school, nodding and laughing, enjoying her giggles and the expressive way she talked with her hands.

Reaching the reservation –and the ice cream place –in less than thirty minutes, he parked the car, helping her out of her car seat and putting her sweater on her before taking her out of the car.

"I need my backpack," Emmie told him, keeping an arm around his neck as he leaned down to take it from the seat, "I have homework."

Embry's eyebrows lowered as he closed the door and headed towards the small ice cream parlor, "You get homework in kindergarten?"

"Uh-hu," Emmie nodded as he opened the door, her eyes wide as she studied the ice cream counter, "I have to do my name ten times."

"Good thing we've worked on learning that," Embry stood in the short line to the counter where they would order, "So it won't take long to get that done."

"I also have to do my letters," Emmie wrinkled her nose as the girl behind the counter looked at Embry.

"Well, you sing the Alphabet song real well; it'll make it easier to complete that."

"And my vowels, too," Emmie swung her foot, watching the untied laces flutter with the movement.

"There's only five of them –"

"And my numbers," Emmie wrapped both arms around his neck as they finally got up to the counter.

"How many numbers?"

"The ones I know," Emmie kept her eyes on the girl while Embry kept his on her, "And five more."

"How many do you know," Embry set the backpack on the counter.

"One to fifteen," Emmie wrapped her legs around his waist, "I know more in Greek."

"Man," Embry shook his head before turning to look at the girl behind the counter, "Kindergarten's tough."

The girl laughed, her dark skin flushing slightly, "Sounds like it."

Embry turned his head as much as he could what with Emmie's tight grip on his neck, "I think we need some ice cream before we get started on all that tough homework, right?"

"Uh-hu," Emmie nodded, resting her forehead against his jaw, her big blue eyes on the girl, "I want chocolate ice cream."

"With strawberries, nuts and whip cream?"

She shook her head, the ribbon on her ponytail tickling his ear, "No, just chocolate ice cream."

Embry laughed, giving the ice cream girl a smile, "Two chocolate ice creams, please."

"Graham cones or bowls," she smiled back at him, her eyebrows flying up when Emmie reached to turn his head towards her so he would be looking at her, the little girl answering for both of them, "Cones."

A few minutes later, they had their ice cream cones and were sitting at a table outside the parlor, Emmie's backpack on the table, her crayons out along with a notepad of wide ruled paper.

Several minutes into helping her write out her first name, the black crayon clasped in her tiny fist, Emmie looked up at him with serious blue eyes, "Mou?"

"Yes Princess."

"Did you think she was pretty?"

Embry smiled as he leaned down to press a kiss on her forehead, "Not as pretty as you."


	25. Chapter 23

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**Gaby -love you darling. Hope you like this chapter.  
**

**Ses -miss you dear.  
**

**Chelsea-you are so wonderful! Thank you for the reviews!  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and please review...must I beg some more?  
**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

_First week of September  
New York City_

A knock at the door snapped her back to reality, a shiver running down her back as she looked away from the ocean view outside her window, eyebrows lowering as another knock, this one a bit harder, reminded her of where she was.

Moving away from the window, she rubbed her arms as she made her way across the living room floor, the rug soft under her bare feet.

She wasn't sure who was at the other side of the door but she didn't feel like having guests –there weren't many people who knew where she lived so she was actually drawing a blank as she looked out the peephole.

The surprise was swiftly followed by an uneasiness she couldn't explain as she undid the chain, turning the brass knob to open the door, "What are you doing here?"

He gave her a smile, his blue eyes moving over her in a way that made her uncomfortable, "Saw these flowers and thought they'd make you smile."

She looked at the bouquet of tulips he held, the colors vibrant against the deep green foliage before looking at him again, "How did you know where I live? No one in the band knows."

"I called Marley," Adam lifted a shoulder as he gave her a sheepish look, shuffling his feet slightly as he slid a hand into the pocket of his jeans, "Told him you invited me over for a movie but I misplaced your address."

"You lied to get my address," the uneasiness grew as she tightened her hand around the doorknob, leaning her shoulder against the wall to keep him from looking into her apartment, not exactly sure why, "That's kind of…creepy."

"Hey," Adam gave her a hurt look, "We're friends, right?"

"Yeah," the admission was drawn out as she took the tulips he thrust at her, his sudden movement surprising her into letting go of the door, "Yeah, I guess we are. These are really beautiful. Thank you."

"You should probably put them in water," Adam moved forward, Julie blinking fast as she moved back several steps to maintain her personal space, watching him walk into her apartment and close the door without an invitation, "Nice place you have here."

"Uhm," Julie bit her bottom lip as he walked into her living room, her stomach cramping in the strangest way, "I probably have a vase in the kitchen somewhere…I was going to go out in a few minutes to run some errands so…you can't stay long."

"Oh, don't worry," Adam shrugged as he turned to look at her, the intensity in his eyes making her very uncomfortable, "I won't keep you long."

She gave him a small smile, moving around the bar to search for a vase in one of the bottom cupboards, filling it up with water from the sink.

"You have a nice view," he stood by the wall of windows, his jacket tossed over the arm of her plush sofa.

If he wasn't staying long, why had he taken his jacket off?

"Yeah…it's worth every penny I pay," Julie set the vase of tulips on the bar, moving towards the front door, rubbing her clammy hands on the denim of her jean skirt, "I grew up in California so…"

"Were you a surfer," Adam turned around, moving across the living room towards the shiny black baby grand piano.

"Some," Julie watched him run his finger over the ivory keys, the notes high and clear, "I prefer swimming though."

"Hey," he pointed at her with a smile as he made his way around the armchair, "I used to compete in my high school swim team."

Julie nodded, moving a couple of steps back, mentally scolding herself for being so skittish but something about him was really bothering her.

"Julie," Adam watched as she bumped against one of the bar stools, "Are you scared of me?"

"What," Julie swallowed, her fingers gripping the edge of the stool's seat as Adam moved in, blocking any way to get around him, "Of course not. You're my friend…so why should I be scared?"

Adam smiled down at her as he reached out to lift the mermaid pendant off her chest, rubbing his thumb over the delicate features of her face, "Have you heard from Lian?"

"Uhm," Julie was working hard to keep her breathing even, unable to do the same to her fast beating heart, "No. He's…been on sabbatical. Natalie called a couple of days ago…she wants us to do a video for our duet as soon as he gets back."

"Your duet," Adam tightened his hand around her necklace, pulling her closer, "He hasn't even bothered to call you."

"Let go, Adam," Julie gripped his wrist, the silver chain digging into the back of her neck, "You're going to break my necklace."

He let go, the back of his hand grazing the neckline of her teal colored top, "Why won't you give me a chance, Julie?"

"It wouldn't work, Adam," she pushed pass him, flushing when his fingers brushed across her breasts, telling herself it was an accident –she just needed to get him out of her apartment, "We work together every da –Adam! What the hell?"

"You think you're too good for me, don't you," his voice was harsh as he spoke into her ear, his arms wrapped around her from behind, his hands gripping her wrists against her chest, "That I'm a lousy choice compared to the almighty Lian Young."

"Let go of me," Julie tried to break away but he was holding on too tight, her hands going numb at the lack of circulation, "Adam, you're scaring me!"

"Am I," Adam's teeth scraped against her neck as he forced her towards the couch, "You know, Julie, I've done nothing but be a friend to you, always there…but you just led me around like a dog on a leash."

"Adam, no," Julie's bare feet dragged against the wooden floor, her toe catching on the edge of the rug, a small cry of pain escaping her as it folded inward, "Please don't do this. I wasn't trying to lead you on."

"You're just like all the other girls," he held on to both wrists with one hand, the other one reaching down to yank at her jean skirt as he pushed his erection against her ass, "And now I'm going to teach you a lesson, you stuck up bitch."

"No," Julie cried out as she struggled against his hold, the Chinese sticks holding her hair in a twist slipping out, long curls tumbling around her pale face, "Please stop!"

"If it makes you feel better," Adam pulled at the neck of her top, his fingernails leaving red welts on her shoulder, "Feel free to scream out Lian's name –I won't hold it against you."

He forced her to bend over the arm of the couch, his knee pushing against her tense thighs as he easily subdued her struggles.

Julie didn't have many avenues of escape except for one.

It was probably going to kill her but there was no way she was going to let this bastard abuse and humiliate her this way.

Closing her eyes, she forced the fear saturating her entire being into the back of her mind, burying it into a black abyss as she let herself sink into the cold swirling deep inside her, the numbness calming her mind as her body temperature dropped by the second.

Her lungs expanded, pain slicing into the sides of her neck as she gasped in an attempt to find oxygen in the bit of humidity in the air.

The many mythical stories of mermaids having the strength to sink ships were based on truth –Julie could feel the strength that came with the change, her leg muscles rippling under thickening skin as she twisted her wrists out of his grasp, the coldness filling her making it impossible to absorb anything outside of herself.

She completely missed the brief hesitation a second before something slammed hard against a wall.

Feeling herself being yanked back, she fell onto the living room floor, curling into a fetal position as the sound of glass shattering snapped her back into herself.

Shivering, she gasped for air, watching Adam stumble across the living room, tripping over his own feet as a fist landed across his face.

Grabbing him by the neck of his shirt, he hauled him up to slam him against the wall, the thud of his head hitting the glass of a picture frame followed by the tinkling sound of showering glass falling to the wooden floor causing another shiver to rack her body.

"I'm going to kill you," Lian growled as he slammed him against the wall again before pulling back his fist, blood spurting out of Adam's nose as he kept hitting his face.

Julie closed her eyes, the warm wood of the floor against her cheek reminding her of human nature.

"Stop," she whispered, her voice wheeze from lack of air, the room spinning around her, "Please, Julian…stop."

A few seconds passed before she heard a groan then felt a hand gently brushing the hair stuck to her sweaty cheek, "Do you want me to call the cops?"

"No," Julie shook her head, feeling her lungs taking in air, reaching up to touch the side of her neck where there were three thin welts parallel to each other, "Just get him out of here –I don't want to see him –ever."

A thumb brushed over the arch of her eyebrow before he moved back to where Adam was slumped on the floor against the wall, the left side of his face swollen as blood dripped from his nose.

Lifting him up by his shirt, he shoved him towards the front door, "Tell Natalie you found another band to play with. If any of this gets out to the press –if you come near her again, I will make sure you never play again, understood?"

Adam nodded, catching himself before he went head first down the stairs at Lian's hard shove, his jacket flying over his head a few seconds before the door slammed shut.

Julie struggled to sit up, finally able to feel her legs as she tugged at the hem of her skirt, her body shaking –she was so cold.

A small gasp escaped her as he lifted her off the floor the warmth of his body soaking into her aching muscles as he set her on the couch, reaching up to brush her hair back from her face as he sat at the edge of the sofa, his body angled to be able to look into her eyes, "Are you okay?"

She nodded, unaware of how pale she looked or how her entire body was shaking.

Lian was sure if he didn't find a way to get her to react she was going to slip into shock.

"Hey, Julie," he used both hands to push her hair behind her shoulders, cupping her face as he moved to kneel before her, his knees bracketing her bare feet, "Look at me."

Her long lashes fluttered before she opened her eyes, no sign of tears as she looked at him.

"You got to let go," Lian stroked her cheek, recuperating quickly from the shock of seeing her eyes.

They were pitch black, no sign of the purple he was fond of, the empty coldness in them causing a shiver to run down his back.

"Let it out," he moved his hands down her neck, anger hot as he felt thin welts under his calloused fingertips, "You can't hold this in or it'll poison you."

He was so focused on her face he completely missed the rainbow hued scales peeking out from the hem of her skirt.

The overhead light glinted off them before they melted, leaving nothing behind but smooth hazelnut skin.

Lian gripped the sides of her head as he leaned forward to press his forehead against hers, "Please, baby…please cry for me."

Julie closed her eyes briefly, a shudder making its way down her slim body before a sob pushed past her lips, a solitary tear rolling down her cheek before the rest followed, her irises reminding him of amethyst –they were so bright.

Lian wrapped his arms around her, moving to sit next to her as she cried into his shoulder.

Stroking her back as she held on to him, he kissed the top of her head, reaching up to cup the side of her face as he placed his chin on her head, neatly tucking her into his chest, "It'll be alright. Nothing –no one –will ever hurt you. I promise."

Julie wasn't sure how he was going to keep that promise, being he was the one with the most power to hurt her but she didn't say anything.

Instead, she hung on to him the way she would have clung to a rock out in the middle of a storm-tossed ocean.

* * *

_Weihai, China_

"Did you enjoy the family reunion?"

Collin grinned as he moved his fingertips over her flat stomach, his head resting on a fist as he laid sideways beside her on the seashore, "It was…amazing. I'm sure being surrounded by mermaids at the bottom of the ocean isn't on many people's bucket list but man, am I glad I got to see that before I die."

Lyn laughed, a toss of her head sending ash blond curls tumbling down her back, "Not to mention you got to put those deep sea scuba lessons to good use."

Collin chuckled as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek, "Any deeper and I would have freaked out. I'm a land animal, after all."

Lyn grinned up at him, holding herself up on one elbow as she slid her fingers alongside his jaw to grip the back of his neck, their lips meeting with soft tenderness, a butterfly kiss slowly emerging from its cocoon and testing its tissue-thin wings before flying into freedom.

A spray of cold salt water landed on his back, causing him to shiver as he looked down towards Lyn's feet…well, what would have been her feet if she didn't have a full out tail at the moment.

"Sorry," Lyn blushed as more water sprayed up, the gold red color of the see through tail fins glittered with drops of water as it flipped out of the water before landing again, "I can't control that part of my tail."

Collin laughed as he moved his hand down the side of her petite body, the bright scales –varying shades of reds, pink and golds –slick as the ocean waves crashed into the surf, the water keeping the sand under their bodies saturated, "You're beautiful…I've come to a realization, though."

Lyn's eyes danced as she watched him move his hand over the front of the tail, his fingers tripping over the uniformed scales as he reached her stomach where pale pink scales ended a couple of inches below her bellybutton, a few doting higher up in random places –they reminded him of those shiny things his sister liked to sew into her skirts –sequins.

"What realization?"

He watched her close her eyes as she leaned back on both elbows, her head falling back as the sun shined down on them, the cold water covering the bottom half of their bodies retreating back into the ocean before returning in another wave, "The color of a mermaid's tail."

"What about it," Lyn opened one eye, her lips twitching into a smile as she watched him studying her tail, his fingers moving over the curves of what would have been her thighs and knees.

"It has a lot to say about their personality," Collin moved his hand up to her stomach, his forefinger circling her bellybutton before he moved it up and around her ribs to her back, his fingers stroking between her shoulder blades under the strap of her pink bikini top, "For example, yours. The colors vary from hot to pale –reds and pinks with gold thrown in for extra bling."

Lyn laughed, moving her arms up to circle his neck as he wrapped his arms around her, his upper body moving over hers, "Even mermaids love things that shine."

Collin grinned, placing a kiss on the corner of her smiling lips, his hands moving up to her shoulders, the ends of her hair still wet, the top having been dried by the hot afternoon sun, "You have such a vibrant personality…with so much passion yet gentle with a bit of shyness and a tender innocence to be protected –that's what your tail says about you."

Lyn kissed his mouth, running her fingers through his dark hair, "You're very perceptive, Mr. Littlesea."

Collin kissed her bottom lip, moving his mouth over her cheek towards her ear, "One question, though."

"Mhm," Lyn closed her eyes as Collin moved his hands down her back, his fingers tracing little circles over her skin, causing goosebumps to break over it.

"I noticed when we went under that some of your cousins had black eyes," Collin pulled back to look down into her purple ones, "But you and your aunt and those two other cousins of yours didn't. Why is that?"

Lyn smiled as she moved her fingers over his face, tracing his eyebrow from the outer edge inward, "Mermaids don't have souls –that's why finding true love is so important to us…because in doing so, we find our souls. Being under the ocean…it fills that hollowness inside us and turns our heart into ice –it keeps us from experiencing pain and disappointment but also from experience love and joy."

Collin reached up to stroke his thumb over her cheek as she kept explaining, "It's the reason our eyes turn black when we change –there's nothing inside but cold emptiness and it shows in our eyes –most of the cousins you met have not found true love but they still have time."

"So your eyes don't turn black anymore because of me?"

"Yes," Lyn smiled up at him as she touched her thumb to his bottom lip, "You are my soul."

Collin grinned as he kissed her lips, "That could really give me a god complex."

Lyn laughed, hugging him tight as the end of her tail flipped up another spray of cold water, "Don't you worry. I'll make sure and pop any overinflated ego you might get."

Collin laughed with her, pulling back to kiss her nose, "Aside from never finding true love, you are all immortal, right? Nothing else can hurt you?"

"We're not exactly immortal," Lyn moved her fingers over his shoulders and down his arms, his hard muscles rippling under her fingertips, "But we do live for a long time –unless something forces us to change outside of the ocean. If the change is completed before we get to the sea, we could suffocate within minutes…but if we change undersea and come up to the surface, we'll be fine for an hour or so."

Collin's eyebrows lowered in confusion, "We've been laying here for over three hours."

"That's because I have complete control over my change," Lyn tilted her head back before reaching for the bikini bottom that was a foot or so away, "Thanks to you, I can pick and choose what parts to change…as in tail but no gills unless I'm under water. Not only that, but I no longer feel the call of the ocean which means I can go in at any time and still return. Without true love, a mermaid is constantly hearing the ocean calling her name, especially on the half moon nights when it's strongest…it's also the safest time to go into the ocean because there's a balance between the ocean and the earth…it lets us feel the call of the earth as well."

Collin nodded as he watched her legs return, the colors bleeding into a rosy hue before it completely changed back to the light almond color of her natural skin.

Lyn's face was red as she pulled on her bottoms, biting her lip when Collin turned near black eyes towards her, a gasp escaping her when he moved over her, his mouth covering hers in a deep kiss with so much heat it had her squirming under him.

Collin moved his hands over her body, his lips following as he explored all exposed skin, the privacy of the cove they were in giving him the freedom to reach behind Lyn and pull at the strings that held her bikini top in place.

"Collin," Lyn gasped as she reached up to hold the scraps of fabric in place, "What are you doing?"

"No one can see us here," Collin whispered as he placed a line of kisses across her chest, "The house is above us and the bottom of the cliff curves in."

Lyn giggled as she let Collin toss her bikini top over her head, "The house is not the only place people can look from."

Collin looked over his shoulder –the small stretch of land they were at was surrounded by the cliff in a half moon circle, creating a private inlet as the ocean waves crashed up against the surf, covering their feet briefly before retreating.

During high tide, this whole spot was under water but right now, it was a perfect spot for a lover's tryst.

"I would hope your cousins have better manners than to come looking for us," Collin looked down at her face, his hand moving down the side of her body, thumb hooking into the side strap of her bikini bottoms, "It is the last day of our honeymoon, after all."

Lyn laughed, pulling his head down for a kiss that led to touching which led to the rest of their clothes being shed.

Before long, Lyn was wrapped around Collin, her fingernails digging into his back as they moved in rhythm to the crashing waves, their breathing heavy as they kissed each other anywhere they could reach.

She could feel herself losing control, her entire body shuddering before she let go, eyes tightly shut as she bowed under him, the vibrant colors swirling as she flew out into space, weightless and free for a few seconds before she slowly sank into the familiar wet silk of contentment and fulfilled desire.

Collin was breathing hard as he rolled onto his back, pulling Lyn with him as he felt his body relax. Closing his eyes, he buried his fingers into her wet hair as his heart slowed down, his lungs finally able to take in a full breath.

Lyn was certain there was no way she was going to be able to get up. Nuzzling her nose against his throat as she draped her arm over his broad chest, she decided there was no reason why she should get up.

Seconds bled into minutes, the high noon sun slowly making its way across the sky, the waves crashing over them, keeping their bodies from drying up under the hot heat of the orb above them.

Lyn was close to falling asleep when a sharp pain squeezed her chest, so sudden and surprising she couldn't hold back a gasp.

"You okay," Collin looked down at her, instantly worried at the glazed look in her eyes, "Lyn, baby, what's wrong?"

"We have to go back to the house," Lyn sat up, looking around to find her bikini, "I have to call Julie."

"Lyn –"

"Something's wrong, Collin," Lyn tied her top in place, the bottoms waded in one hand as her legs melded together, the smooth skin rising into bumps until the rows of scales was in place, the fins unfurling under the water, "I can feel her. I need to call her."

"Okay," Collin pulled on plain black Speedos followed by a black and blue wet suit, quickly and efficiently strapping on the air tank over his back as he cleared the mouth piece, grabbing the flippers as he made his way back to Lyn.

Not even five minutes later, they were both several feet under water to avoid the tide's drag, Lyn holding on to Collin's hand as she made her way around the cliff protrusion.

He was an experienced swimmer –having been taking scuba lessons for over four years now and even getting certified –but Lyn was the one with the oceanic sense of direction so Collin made sure not to let go of her hand.

Besides, that shark a mile or so away was looking a little too interested in them.

It didn't take more than half an hour for them to get to the shore, Collin removing the mouth piece and mask before taking off his flippers as Lyn stood behind him, slipping on her bottoms before running across the sandy beach towards the steps carved into the rocky hill that led up to the house.

Collin followed behind her, hoping that whatever was happening with Julie, it wouldn't be life threatening…he wasn't sure how Lyn would handle losing her sister.

* * *

Lian straightened up, a broom in one hand and a dustpan in the other, the glass all swept up.

Moving into the kitchen, he opened the lower cupboard where the trashcan was, dumping the glass in before setting the dustpan next to the can.

Seeing the tulips, he recalled Julie telling him to get rid of them right before she fell asleep in his arms where he had kept her for a good hour and a half before taking her into her bedroom.

Tossing the tulips into the trash, he emptied the vase before setting it upside down in the sink, the phone at the other end of the bar letting out a loud peeling ring.

Picking it up before it woke Julie he pushed the TALK button, "Hello?"

"Who the hell is this?"

Lian couldn't help the smile from stretching across his face, easily recognizing the voice, "Lian. Shouldn't you be on your honeymoon?"

"I am," Lyn answered him, her voice a little testy, "What are you doing in Julie's apartment?"

"Uhm," Lian ran his fingers through his hair as he moved around the bar, grimacing when he noticed a crack on one of the wall's window panes, "There was an incident –"

"What happened," Lyn interrupted him, her worry making her words come fast, "Is she okay?"

"She's okay, Lyn," Lian assured her as he leaned against the back of the couch, watching the boats on the marina a few feet away from the condominium building, "I think she should be the one to tell you what happened but just know, she's okay."

"Where is she?"

"She's sleeping," Lian looked over his shoulder towards the hallway that led to the back bedroom, "It took a while but…I think she'll be able to get over this."

There was a long stretch of silence before Lyn softly asked, "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

He took in a deep breath, watching the hypnotic bob and dip of a bright red buoy several miles into the sea, "Yeah…I am."

Lian couldn't help smiling at the sound of a soft sob followed by a sniff, "You're okay with that, right?"

He could hear movement on the other end of the line, almost like she had nodded before realizing he couldn't see her, "Yes, yes. I'm okay –does she love you?"

"If she gives me a chance," Lian crossed his ankles as he slid a free hand into the pocket of his jeans, "Just one chance to show her…"

Lyn sniffed, the overwhelming emotion she felt ringing in her words, "You need to give her a chance too, Lian…you both need to give each other a chance."

* * *

_October 25__th__, 10:43PM  
La Push_

"Rosie, baby," Seth leaned against the door frame, rapping his knuckles against the white door, "You've been in the bathroom for, like, forty five minutes."

"Just get into bed, Seth," her voice was muffled through the door, "I'm working on your surprise."

"Ah," Seth rubbed his hands together as he headed to the bed, turning off the bedroom light but leaving the lamplight on the bedside table still on, "Happy birthday to me!"

Rose laughed as she turned the bathroom light off before opening the door, sliding a hand up the door frame as she placed the other hand on her hip, "You've been a very good boy this year."

"Yes, I ha–" Seth's voice cut off as soon as he saw his wife, mouth going dry as he let his eyes roam over her perfect curves.

She was wearing a white lace teddy corset with matching French cut panties, the soft light filtering through the sheer window curtains giving her skin a beautiful shimmer.

Rose smiled as he continued to stare open mouthed, dropping her hand from the door frame before moving across the floor, "Cat caught your tongue, Seth?"

Seth tried to swallow, his breath stuttering as she placed a hand on his shoulder before climbing up onto the bed to straddle him, "I…uh…"

Rose chuckled as she slid her hands up to frame his neck before leaning forward, her long hair –she had curled it to fall down her back –sliding over her shoulders as she kissed his bottom lip, "You what, baby? Do you like your birthday gift?"

Seth nodded, sliding his hands up her thighs, her skin soft and smooth as Rose moved over him, his head tipping back as she slid her tongue into his mouth.

The kiss was full of lust, hot and liquid, her hands fisting in his hair, a moan purling from deep inside her as he slid his hands up her thighs to cup her round bottom, his fingers sliding under the scalloped edge of the lace panties.

She let out a soft hum as she pulled back, the tip of her nose stroking over his, "This is your birthday gift…so I'm in charge."

Seth stared up at her in surprise for a few seconds before his lips spread into a smile, "You're the boss tonight, uh?"

"That's right," Rose nodded, a curl tumbling down to rest over the curve of her left breast, her deep breathing pushing out her breasts, the demi cups of the teddy teasing him with the possibility of a peek of her nipples, "I'm the boss tonight."

Seth would have laughed but Rose covered his mouth with hers, her hands moving over his shoulders then down his chest as she rocked her hips into him.

Groaning, Seth cupped her hips to keep her from moving but Rose reached down to move his hands up to place them behind his head, "Oh no. You misbehave again and we'll have to stop."

"Well, that's not fair," Seth watched as she placed a row of kisses along his jaw and down his throat, her lips blooming open over his nipple, "It's my birthday –shouldn't I get to do what I want?"

Rose chuckled as she dragged her fingernails down his triceps towards his armpits, Seth lowering his arms to capture her hands and keep her from tickling him.

"Okay," Rose leaned forward to press a kiss on his mouth, wrapping her arms around him, her breasts pressed against his chest, "You're right. You should get to do what you –ah!"

Seth's hands spanned her small waist as he flipped her onto her back, long curls spilling over the edge of the bed, his mouth on her neck making her laugh.

"Seth," Rose tucked her chin into her chest, the tickling vibrations of his mouth on her throat causing her nipples to harden.

"Now, since it's my birthday," Seth licked before nipping the soft skin stretched over her collarbone, "I'd like to unwrap my gift…starting with these."

Seth slipped the thin straps down her shoulders, his fingers tugging at the lace and freeing her breasts, the aureole two shades darker than the rest of her skin, the nipples puckered into hard little numbs.

"You have the most beautiful breasts," Seth's whispered words brushed over her skin as he slid his nose down the slope of her breasts, flicking the nipple before kissing the underside, the tip of his tongue sliding around and up between them.

Rose moaned, drawing up her knee beside his hip, dragging the cotton pajamas he wore up his leg, her toes rubbing against the back of his calve, the hair tickling the sole of her foot.

"I love how responsive they are when I touch them," Seth whispered as he covered one breast, his big hand gently molding and squeezing as he flicked his tongue over her other nipple, "I want to make you come just by playing with them."

Her moans slowly increased as he alternated between breasts, sucking and nibbling, wet little kisses from one nipple to the other then back.

"Seth," she wrapped her legs around him, tilting her hips to rub up against him, her panties wet against his hard crotch, "Please…I need…"

"Not until you come," Seth closed his teeth over her nipple, tugging at it as he used his fingers to do the same to the other one, "Come for me, baby, and I'll give you want you want."

Rose dragged her fingernails down his back, tilting her hips to rub up against him.

The coil in her lower stomach tightened with every suck and lick, Seth's hips keeping hers from moving.

Rose moaned in frustration, the heat building inside her but not exploding as she whispered pleas into his ear, "_Por favor…Seth…te necesito…ahorita…ya,_"

Seth gave her nipple a hard suck, the slight pain pushing her over the edge as she let out a soft scream, her body arching off the bed.

Seth pushed the gusset of her panties aside as he lowered his pajama pants, pushing into her as she started descending from her high only to shoot back out into space as he buried himself to the hilt.

It wasn't long before she was climbing another high as Seth moved in and out of her at a deep, hard pace, her screams and groans increasing in volume as she went spinning into another trip, this one having her splinter apart into millions of pieces as Seth slammed into her a few more times before he too let himself go.

Breathing hard as he collapsed on her, he buried his nose into her neck as she smoothed her hands up his back, her fingers stroking the back of his neck, "Happy birthday Seth."

Seth kissed the side of her neck before settling his head on her chest, "Best birthday gift ever."


	26. Chapter 24

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I know it's so soon after the last one but I will be working for the next three days then have two nights off before working three more days which means I wouldn't have time to type up a new chapter. No worries, though, 'cause I'll be writing during my work days and once I have my three days off, I'll be posting the next chapter...or two.  
**

**Gaby -love you darling! This chapter has an idea previously shared with you before...hope you like how it turns out.  
**

**Ses -I will always miss you.  
**

**Chelsea, Lette, Moani -thank you darlings. More reviews, please?  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and remember to review!  
**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**  
_Thanksgiving Day, 1:07PM_

"They've all been down for their nap for thirty minutes. Gabriel always wakes up first –his snack is in the refrigerator and he'll be good at playing quietly. Zaky may or may not wake up before the twins but if the twins wake up first, you need to give them their snack as soon as possible or they'll start getting rowdy and wake Zaky up. Emmie always wakes up last and she'll be a little hard to control –also, don't give her anything but what I left on the blue bowls."

"Why," Rick's eyebrows lowered over his blue eyes as he ushered Leah across the living room towards the front door, Tyra asleep against his shoulder, his arm secure under her bottom.

"Processed sugar makes her really hyper," Leah shifted the last bag of groceries in her arm as she took the keys from the small table beside the front door, "So I make sure she doesn't get too many cookies or white bread or fruit juice. She can have chocolate milk, though."

"Okay," Rick held the door for her as she stepped out into the porch, smiling when she turned around, "Oh, Tyra's food is in the little yellow bowls –bananas, pureed squash and peas –she can have a rice cracker too –they're in a box in the pantry."

"Got it," Rick leaned down to kiss her forehead, "We'll see you at five."

Leah's face showed apprehension as she kissed the back of her baby's head before kissing Rick's mouth, "Are you sure you're going to be okay? Mom's offered to help Rose with dinner so I don't have to go –"

"Yes you do," Rick reached up to cup her face, smoothing his thumb over her cheek, "You need some time without the kids. Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. It's just four hours."

Leah bit her lip, wanting to point out how in four hours, Zaky could manage to empty out all the bottom cupboards despite the stupid child locks –she was starting to contemplate using actual locks with keys – Emmie could empty out all three toy chests while Alyx and Andrey clogged up the toilet with the roll of toilet paper –as for Gabriel…he could pretty much scream the house down when Emmie moved on from the toys to him, "Maybe I'll ask Seth to come –"

"No," Rick shook his head, running his fingers through her hair before squeezing the back of her neck, "We'll be fine."

Leah nodded as she shifted the paper bag up in her arms, giving him a smile before turning to head towards the car parked in the curb, the minivan they had bought a couple of months ago taking up the driveway.

"Oh! Alyx and Andrey have –"

"Stop worrying," Rick told her, pointing at the car as he felt Tyra moving in his arms, reaching up to rub her back, "If I have any questions, I'll call you. Now go."

Leah chuckled as she turned back around, placing the bag in the passenger seat then closing the door before making her way to the driver's side –she was going to tell him the twins had figured out how to climb out of their crib but she supposed he was going to have to find out on his own.

Rick watched as Leah drove down the road, closing the door as soon as she turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

Moving towards the armchair, he sat down and stretched out his legs, smiling as Tyra pushed herself away from him, her tiny fingers splayed over his chest as she stared at him with those big brown-green eyes of hers, "Did you have a nice nap, _moro mou_?"

She blinked a couple of times before laying against his chest, several seconds passing before she pushed herself up again, the two small bottom teeth she had showing as she gave him a smile.

"You have a beautiful smile, _glikia_," Rick moved her so she would have her back against his chest, reaching to tickle her socked feet, her giggles sweet as she kicked her pudgy legs, "Your mama bought you a new dress –today's your very first Thanksgiving day."

Tyra waved her arms before pushing a fist into her mouth, sucking on it as she tilted her head back to look up at him, her eyes twinkling as she let out a loud toot.

Rick wrinkled his nose at the smell, standing up as he cradled her in his arms, "You just had to wait for your mother to leave to do that, uh? You like seeing your _bampá _change your dirty diapers, don't you?"

Tyra giggled as he set her on the changing table by the window as soon as he went into their bedroom, reaching up to tug at the curtain as Rick took off her purple pants, his fingers tickling her round tummy and making her laugh.

"Don't pull on that, _moro_," he gently removed the fabric from her tiny fist, tucking it out of reach before going back to cleaning and changing her, laughing as she tried to roll over, "Not here, Tyra. If you fall, your mother will never leave you alone with me again. There, all done. How do you like the clean diaper?"

Tyra waved her arms as soon as he picked her up, grabbing his hair in both hands when he kissed her pudgy cheek, her giggles high as she pushed her small feet against his chest.

"Someone's in a good mood," Rick kissed her other cheek, buzzing her neck to make her laugh before lowering her onto his chest as he made his way back towards the living room, "Are you hungry, Tyra? Mama left you some bananas, squash and peas."

Tyra pulled at his hair before letting go, her fist going into her mouth as he walked into the kitchen and set her on her high chair, keeping a hand on her tummy as he strapped her in, her little hands patting the tray as soon as he clicked it into place.

Moving towards the fridge, he frowned as he saw the colored bowls –yellow, green, blue, red and orange.

"The yellow ones are yours, right," he asked over his shoulder as he took one of the small yellow bowls, snapping the cover back to encounter the pureed squash, "Yep, this one's yours."

Taking the other two yellow bowls –one with pureed peas and the other with diced bananas, he removed the lids and placed all three on Tyra's tray before moving towards the drawer to pull out one of the small plastic spoons.

Turning, he placed the spoon on the table to remove the bowls, most of its contents gone. Half the squash was dumped on the tray, the peas covered the front of her pink little shirt and dripping down to her lap and there were bananas all over the bottom half of her face, "Oh dear Zeus! One second, Tyra –I left you for one sec –is that banana on your ear?"

Tyra laughed as she kicked her legs, waving her arms as Rick set the bowls on the table, moving a chair to sit before her as he picked up the squash and the spoon, "I forgot to put a bib on you…guess it doesn't matter anymore, uh?"

Rick laughed at the face she made as he placed a spoonful of squash into her mouth, her little tongue pushing some of it out to dribble down onto her shirt, "Doesn't taste good, uh? Your mama wants you to eat it."

Tyra wrinkled her nose as he placed the spoon in her mouth, a sound at the kitchen entrance having Rick miss when she spit the spoonful out as well, "Hey, _kyrio_ . How was your nap?"

Gabriel nodded as he rubbed a fist over his eye, moving around Tyra's high chair to sit in one of the chairs, "I'm hungry."

"Right," Rick set the spoon and bowl on the table, chuckling as Tyra smeared the squash across the tray with her little hands, "Okay, I've got blue bowls, red bowls, green and orange. Which ones are yours?"

"The red ones," Gabriel yawned as he reached up to scratch the back of his head, laughing at the sight of Tyra straining over the tray towards the yellow bowls, "Tyra doesn't like squash but she'll eat the peas."

"Really," Rick popped the lids open, placing the bowls at the table before moving to the cupboard to pull out one of the kiddy cups, "She dumped half of the peas on her lap."

"Did you put the bowls on her tray," Gabe asked as he picked a cheese cube from one of the bowls, pushing another one with chicken nuggets in it, "Can I put these in the microwave?"

"I'll do that," Rick placed the cup on the table before picking up the chicken nuggets, "Do you want chocolate milk or apple juice?"

"Chocolate milk," Gabe munched on a grape before taking an apple slice, "And I want ketchup for my nuggets, please."

Rick smiled as he set the time for two minutes, taking out the ketchup and chocolate milk as Tyra let out a high pitched screech, "Patience, _agape_. Let me just get your brother's nuggets and we can move on to what's left of the peas."

Returning with the warmed up nuggets, Rick sat on his chair and picked up the spoon, this time taking the bowl of peas, "There's only a couple of spoonfuls here…we can finish it all, right?"

Tyra kicked her feet, her nose wrinkling as he put the spoon in her mouth before a look of surprise crossed her face as she swallowed the pureed peas, Rick laughing as he gave her another spoonful, "You thought it was the squash, uh?"

This time, she didn't make a face as she smacked her lips, swallowing the peas until Rick emptied the small bowl.

A noise at the kitchen entrance had him looking up, surprised to see his little hellions toddle into the kitchen, dragging a long eared stuffed rabbit between them, "How did you two get out of your crib?"

Alyx laughed, moving towards one of the chairs with Andrey moving to another, the poor rabbit's ears getting pulled between them. They both stopped when they couldn't go any further, looking over at each other as Alyx gave his ear a tug, "Mine."

"Mine," Andrey pulled at his ear, both of them looking in surprise when Rick took the rabbit from them, "How about you two sit for your snack and I'll give you the rabbit when you're done?"

They stared up at him for a few seconds before Alyx moved to the chair, grabbing on to the sides, his legs waving as he tried to climb up, laughing when Rick sat him on the chair, Andrey standing next to Gabe, his little hands clutching the side of the table, "Let's get you two in your chairs."

The little blue eyed boy looked over at his father, running under the table when he moved to get him, Alyx wiggling to lie on his stomach across the chair before scooting down and under the table to join Andrey.

Rick was about to get down on his knees to pull them out when Tyra let out a screech of pure frustration, rocking in her high chair as she stretched her arms to the table –poor baby was still hungry, "You know what? You can eat your snacks down there, okay?"

"'Kay," they said in unison, nodding as they turned to pull at Gabriel's feet but their older brother knew them too well –he had lifted his feet to cross his legs on the chair.

"Which ones are theirs," Rick asked as he set the bowl of bananas on Tyra's tray, hoping she would get as much into her mouth as she will onto her face.

"The green ones," Gabriel dunked his last nugget into the ketchup, leaning to the side to look under the table at Alyx and Andrey as they yanked at the legs of his chair, "Stop that."

"Here, you two," Rick pulled off the lids, glad to see none of what Leah had prepped for them was going to make a mess, "Eat all of it and leave your brother alone."

Alyx and Andrey gave him dimpled smiles before they dug into their bowl of grapes, their giggles loud as a high pitch cry sounded from down the hall.

Rick headed towards the hallway, looking over his shoulder, "Gabe, keep an eye on Tyra, okay?"

"Uh-hu," Gabe nodded as Rick disappeared for a few seconds, turning to watch as his baby sister took a fistful of banana chunks and squashed them against her mouth, some of it coming out from between her small fingers, "You need to open your mouth really big, Tyra. Like this."

Tyra watched Gabe before opening her own mouth as big as she could, closing it around her fingers and sucking at them before taking another chunk of banana from the bowl.

"Feel better," Rick asked Zaky as he walked into the kitchen, the sniffling boy in his arms, a small fist rubbing his eye as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Mama," Zaky hiccuped as he looked around the kitchen, his bottom lip quivering when he didn't find her, "Mama?"

"We'll see mama in a couple of hours," Rick set him down in the high chair next to Tyra's before heading to the refrigerator as Tyra stretched out a small hand, offering Zaky a piece of her banana, "She left you some yummy snacks. Are you hungry?"

Zaky nodded, taking the offered banana from his sister and placing it in his mouth as Rick took the orange bowls and popped the lids open, placing them on his tray –Zaky was really good at feeding himself.

"All done," Gabe looked up at his father as he set his empty cup on the table, "Can I go play?"

"Just make sure not to wake your sister," Rick tousled his dark hair before Gabe climbed down from the chair, skirting around the high chairs and heading to the bedroom he shared with Zaky and the twins, "Are you still hungry, Tyra?"

His baby girl looked up at him, a slice of apple in her pudgy fist –Zaky always shared with her.

Rick laughed as she nodded, digging her bottom teeth into the apple slice as she sucked on it, her little feet kicking the air.

Taking the box of rice crackers from the pantry, he handed her one, taking the apple from her, knowing she might choke on it, "Have one of these."

"Me," Zaky held out a small hand, giving his father a big smile when he got a rice cracker as well.

"Cookie," Andrey and Alyx toddled out from under the table, yanking at his pant legs as they looked up at him –their vocabulary was getting quite extensive.

Giving each of them a cracker, he returned the box to the pantry as Emmie ran into the kitchen, her pigtails lopsided as she moved to climb onto one of the chairs, "Today's Thanksgiving! We're gonna have turkey."

Rick laughed as he took the blue bowls from the fridge, placing them in front of her after removing the lids, "That's right, we are. Your mama and Granma Sue are helping Aunt Rose make dinner."

"I get to play with Vivi," Emmie took a slice of apple and bit into it, "And Mou is coming for pie!"

Rick chuckled, leaning down to get the empty bowls from under the table as Andrey and Alyx toddled off to the living room, "Yes, he is. He's going to have turkey with his mama."

"I didn't go to school today," Emmie kicked her feet as she finished her apples, pushing the bowl back before taking a piece of cucumber from another, "'Cause it's a holiday. Teacher told us about the pi-grims and Indians."

"Pilgrims," Rick corrected her as he placed all the empty bowls in the sink, looking over at the clock –thirty minutes! Zeus, he still had two hours to go before getting them dressed and ready to go, "What did she tell you about them?"

"The Indians were here first," Emmie ate her cucumber slices, one at a time as Zaky finished with his snack, Tyra asleep in her chair, her small head leaning against the side, "In America. It's where we live."

"That's right," Rick took a washcloth and wiped Zaky's face before removing the tray and setting him on the floor, the little boy running into the living room to join his brothers, "Where in America did the pilgrims land?"

"On a rock," Emmie finished her last cucumber, pushing the bowl away before taking a piece of cheese from the third bowl, "In the other side of America."

Rick laughed as he gently wiped Tyra's face, doing his best not to wake her up but without success. Her brown-green eyes blinked open, staring up at him before she let out a cry, "It's called Plymouth Rock and that's not where they first landed although many people believe it is."

"Daddy," Emmie watched as Rick removed the tray from the chair, taking Tyra's dirty shirt and pants off her as soon as he unstrapped her, "Am I an Indian?"

"Native American," Rick picked Tyra up, her cries dying down to sniffles as she snuggled into his chest, "And yes, you are half Native American. Quileute, to be exact."

"Is Mou Indian," Emmie munched on her cheese as Daddy bounced Tyra to get her back to sleep.

"Native American," Rick kept his hand on Tyra's back to keep her warm as he sat down to smile into Emmie's eyes, "And yes, he's also Quileute."

"Teacher said everyone in La Push is Indian," Emmie finished her cheese, pushing her bowl back before looking at her father, "Can I have chocolate milk?"

"Yes," Rick stood up, taking a kiddy cup from the cupboard, placing it on the table before moving to the refrigerator, "La Push is an Indian Reservation for the Quileutes. Not everyone living here is Native American, though. There's your Aunt Rose –she's from Spain as are Vivi and Marc. And myself –I'm from Greece."

"Why are you living here, then, if you're not Indian," Emmie picked up her cup as soon as he filled half of it, taking a couple of swallows before setting it back on the table.

"For the last time, Emerie, it's Native American. Indians are people from India –they're a completely different cultural group. And I live here because it's where your mama lives. Your Aunt Rose lives here with your Uncle Seth because he's Quileute."

"Teacher says Indians, not Native Americans," Emmie looked up at him with quizzical eyes, giggling when he reached to tweak her nose, "Who's smarter, me or your teacher?"

"You."

"That's right," Rick leaned down to kiss her forehead, keeping a hand on Tyra's back and head to keep her in place, "Now finish your chocolate milk and go play with your brothers. I'm going to lay Tyra down then I'll help you get dressed for tonight."

"Mama bought me a new dress," Emmie said as she took another swallow of her chocolate milk, still having a few more swallows left in the cup.

"Yes, your mama told me," Rick moved towards the hallway, "It's hanging behind the closet door and your new shoes are on your dresser."

"And socks and underwear too," Emmie called out behind him, finishing her chocolate milk with haste, a bit of it spilling down her chin.

Setting the cup on the table, she wiped her arm over her chin before scrambling down from the chair and following after Rick, stopping at the bedroom door to watch as he placed Tyra –wearing a clean sleeper –in her crib, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead before covering her small legs with a blanket, "Daddy."

"Yes, Emmie," Rick straightened as he turned towards the bedroom, smiling as his little girl lifted her arms towards him, "Can you read me a book?"

"Sounds like fun," he moved across the floor, picking her up and making his way to her bedroom, "Do you have one you want to read today?"

"Uh-hu," she nodded, getting down from his lap as soon as he sat on the rocking chair, returning with a picture book, "This one's from the library –Mou got it for me 'cause I'm too little to have a library card. They said to him I could get one when I'm five."

"They _told_ him," Rick smiled as she climbed up onto his lap, taking the book from her, "Well, this is a good book to read today."

Emmie nodded, leaning against his chest, "It's about the boat that came here from the other side of the world."

"Ship," Rick pressed a kiss against her head, giving her a smile when she looked up at him, "It came from England and was named the _Mayflower._"

"Ships have names," Emmie asked as he opened the book, sticking her finger into her mouth as he flipped the first few pages to the beginning of the story.

"Yes," Rick kissed her cheek, Emmie giggling as she rubbed her bare feet against his jeans, "Let's start the book, yes?"

Emmie nodded, occasionally stopping Rick to point at a picture or word, Rick explaining before he continued. Halfway through the book, he heard a scuffle coming from the living room, realizing he'd left his seven year old in charge of the twins and Zak…not a good thing, considering the twins could pretty much run roughshod over most anyone.

"Emmie, we'll have to finish this book later, okay?"

Emmie nodded as Rick set the book aside, keeping her in his arms as he stood up.

It took him a good twenty minutes to get the twins to stop jumping on the couch, Zaky sitting in the middle of the living room floor stacking his blocks as Gabriel played with a couple of airplanes.

Emmie sat down to play with Zaky as Rick played with the twins, hoping to tire them out so they'll be easier to get dressed in…he still had another hour to go!

Rick was certain he was going to collapse, unable to comprehend how Leah could handle all of their children all day long and still have the energy to make his meals and keep his clothes clean.

After another half hour of playtime, he decided to start getting them ready, realizing that with the twins still full of energy, he was going to need the extra time.

Soon, Zaky was dressed in black slacks, a brown button down shirt tucked into the waistband, his little black shoes shiny as Rick combed his hair while he stood still.

After him, he helped Gabriel button up his shirt, his seven year old able to take care of the rest on his own.

Emmie didn't make it easy, wiggling and moving as he put on her dress, a pretty yellow dress with a white sash, frilly socks and black Mary Jane shoes, her hair falling in curls around her face after he pulled a comb through it a few times.

Tucking the fine soft hair behind her ears, he took the daisy barrettes from the small basket where Leah kept all of Emmie's hair accessories, making sure they were even.

Kissing her forehead, he moved on to the twins, grabbing Andrey as the little boy tried to evade him.

It took him a good while to get both twins dressed, the sound of Tyra babbling coming down the hall having him check his watch –now, he didn't have enough time!

Alyx giggled as he squirmed, making it difficult for Rick to comb his hair. After another minute of failed attempts, he finally tossed the comb on the dresser, "Okay, you want to be untidy, fine."

Alyx laughed, reaching up to squeeze Rick's nose before running out of the room in search of his brother.

Shaking his head, he headed to his bedroom, smiling at the sight of his baby on her tummy, arching her back before flopping onto the crib mattress then pushing up to look at him.

"Hey, baby," Rick picked her up, turning around to place her in the middle of the large bed, "Let's get you dressed, yes?"

She giggled as he removed her sleeper, pulling on her yellow dress, the sash a dark brown that matched the crinoline under the skirt, her frilly socks and shiny shoes white, "Well, don't you look beautiful? Let's get your hair combed."

Tyra smiled as he settled her on his arm, picking up a baby comb and arranging her sandy blond hair before taking a brown headband with a large sunflower that he made sure to position above her right ear.

Taking her pink coat from the closet, he headed into the living room, another thirty minutes passing before he got the four little ones into their car seats, Gabriel and Emmie climbing into their booster seats as soon as he opened the side door to the minivan.

"Okay, kids," Rick climbed behind the driver's seat, feeling a bit victorious that he was only going to be five minutes late, "Everyone ready?"

Emmie's little voice piped up, "I need to go pee."

Rick groaned as he let his head fall onto the steering wheel –so much for just five minutes late.

* * *

_December 5__th, 2:51PM  
_

The sledgehammer swung in a big arc, burying into the dry wall, a fine cloud of white dust billowing.

Pulling it out of the wall, Embry swung it again, making the hole bigger –this was the last wall he needed to knock down before he started evening out the floor.

Swinging the hammer again, he let out a heavy breath, looking over his shoulder at the sound of a knock outside the open front door, "Come in."

Wiping his arm across his forehead, he rested the heavy hammer on the stripped floor between his feet, "Hey ma. What are you doing here?"

"Came to bring you lunch," she held up a brown paper bag and a large thermos, "Breakfast was two hours ago so I'm sure you're getting hungry."

"Thanks ma," he took the bag and thermos from her, moving to sit on a turned over crate, "I'm almost done knocking down that last wall. Hopefully I can start evening the floor before I ripped out the counters and appliances."

"It's kind of cold, Embry," she tugged at the collar of her brown coat as she moved farther into the room, skirting over power tools and debris, "I don't want you getting sick."

"Ma," Embry opened the thermos, taking a deep swallow of cold lemonade before setting it on the dust covered floor and opening the brown bag, "I don't feel the cold and I haven't been sick in years –sheesh, ma. Did you double load this hoagie?"

"I've been feeding you for twenty-seven years –I'm well aware of your appetite," she gave him a teasing smile that grew as he bit into his hoagie, a small moan sounding as he nodded in obvious pleasure, "I've been in the mood to cook today so...I was thinking maybe you can come over for a nice dinner –bring someone special."

"Special," Embry raised an eyebrow as he swallowed, picking up the thermos as he gave her a small smile, "Special how?"

"A special girl."

"Sheesh, ma," Embry pulled back the napkin wrapped around his sausage and pepper hoagie, "There's a whole lot of special girls."

"A girl that's special to you," she reached out to touch the dry wall, running a finger along the jagged edge of the hole, "There is someone, right? A girl?"

Embry chuckled as he finished chewing the food in his mouth, "Are you trying to ask if I'm gay?"

He couldn't hold back the laughter at the blush under his mother's beautiful reddish tanned skin, her dark brown eyes twinkling as she threw a small piece of dry wall at him, "Can you fault me for thinking that? You've never had a girlfriend, Embry."

"I didn't find the girl before."

"And now," she gave him a hopeful look, sliding her hands into her pockets –the gutted house was cold despite the doors and windows being closed, "Have you found the right girl?"

"Mhm," Embry quirked his mouth, studying his half eaten hoagie before taking another big bite, a couple of minutes passing by before he swallowed, "Hard to say but I do have a special girl to bring to your dinner."

"Tonight," she gave him a big smile, the excitement on her face making him chuckle, "What's her favorite meal?"

Embry finished the hoagie, wiping his mouth and fingers with the napkin before tossing it into the brown bag then picking up the thermos, "Spaghetti. With meatballs and lots of Parmesan cheese."

"Okay," she nodded, shivering slightly as she took the brown bag from him, "I can make some garlic bread and a nice salad to go with it."

"She doesn't like garlic bread," Embry stood up, screwing the lid on the empty thermos and handing it to his mother, "She prefers French fries…and chocolate milk."

His mother stopped a couple of feet away from the door, turning to look at him, "How young is she?"

"She's special, ma," Embry moved around the tools to pick up his sledgehammer, "You want me to bring a special girl and that's who I'm going to bring, okay?"

* * *

_5:49PM_

"She's making spaghetti?" Emmie wiggled out of her car seat, giggling as Embry pulled her out of the backseat of his car, taking the small pink duffel bag –Rick and Leah had agreed to a sleepover –from the seat, "Yes, she is. With meatballs and French fries."

"I like French fries," she wrapped her small arms around his neck, her purple coat puffing under her chin, "Can we play Candy Land after dinner?"

"Yep," he opened the front door, placing the duffel bag on the armchair, "And we can watch a movie."

"Can we see _Black Beauty_?"

He chuckled, about to set her down to remove her coat when his mother walked into the living room, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, "Hey ma. Is dinner ready?"

"Uh," she stared into wide blue eyes, watching as the little girl ducked her head to hide her face into Embry's neck, "Yes…yes it is."

"You remember my mom, right Princess," Embry asked, nudging her chin to get her out of hiding, "She made your favorite meal."

Emmie nodded before looking over at Embry's mother, "Thank you."

Despite her surprise at who her son had brought for dinner, she couldn't help her heart melting at the shy little smile she gave her, "I also made chocolate cake…do you like chocolate cake?"

Emmie gave a vigorous nod, her smile growing as her eyes danced, "Does it have frosting?"

"I was about to frost the cake," she gave her a smile, "Want to help me?"

"Yes," Emmie exclaimed, wiggling as Embry set her on her feet, barely able to stand still long enough for him to remove her coat, taking the hand Embry's mother offered her.

Tossing the purple jacket over the pink duffel bag, he moved across the living room to lean against the kitchen archway, watching as his mother and Emmie –sitting on the counter with a wooden spoon in one hand –worked together to spread vanilla frosting over the round chocolate cake, his mother laughing as Emmie chattered about school, her brothers, Einstein, the tree house behind their house, playing dollies with Vivi.

He had never before heard his mother laugh so much –as he knew it would happen she was officially wrapped around his Princess' tiny fingers.

Their dinner was lively, plenty of laughter as Emmie shared story after story, asking questions and responding to Embry's answers, their back and forth having his mother laughing until she had tears running down her face.

After a rowdy game of Candy Land, his mother retired to her room while he popped some popcorn, Emmie sitting on the counter watching him as she kept him laughing.

Halfway through the movie, she let out a loud yawn, her little body snuggled into Embry's side. Looking down at her, he smiled as she fought to keep her eyes open.

"Let's get you to bed, yeah," Embry whispered as he turned the movie off, lifting her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Putting on her footie pajamas didn't take much time, her giggles as he helped her brush her teeth keeping him smiling.

Drying her face, he tossed her over his shoulder, her giggles high as he moved to the bedroom that had been his, pulling back the bed covers to help her climb in, "Did you have fun, Princess?"

"Lots," Emmie wiggled down into the blankets, hugging Mou-bear as soon as Embry pulled him out of the duffel bag, "Your mama is very nice."

"Yes, she is," Embry moved to sit on the floor by the head of the bed, his arm across her as he stroked her hair, watching her pretty blue eyes blinking with the struggle of staying awake, "I love her very much."

"Mou."

He smiled as her rosebud mouth opened wide in a yawn, "Yes, Princess."

"Where's your Daddy?"

Embry sucked in a breath, his hand hesitating for a split second before he continued stroking her soft hair, "He left when I was a little boy."

"He didn't come back," she asked with surprise, her own loving upbringing making it difficult for her to understand why a father would walk away from his child, "Not ever?"

Embry shook his head, his thumb stroking over her cheek, "No."

Emmie scrambled out from under the covers, moving off the bed to stand on his lap as she hugged his neck, her hair soft against his jaw, "You can borrow my Daddy."

Embry smiled as he hugged her, pressing a kiss against her forehead, "Thank you Princess."

"I'll tell him tomorrow that he'll be your Daddy too, okay?"

"Okay," he blinked back the sudden need to cry as he helped her back under the covers, "Thank you for sharing your Daddy with me."

She yawned again, hugging Mou-bear as Embry tucked the bed covers around her, "Will you tell me a story of Princess Emerie and her best friend Mou?"

"Those are the only ones I know," he leaned forward to press a kiss on her cheek, "Close your eyes and I'll tell you a story of when Princess Emerie saved Mou."

"How?"

"Well, one day, Mou went into the forest alone."

Emmie forced her eyes open, giggling when Embry wrinkled his nose at her, "Why?"

"He was looking for a special gift to give to Princess Emerie –it was a beautiful flower that held the sun and rainbow and raindrops in its petals."

Emerie gasped as her eyes opened wide, "It's a beautiful flower!"

"The most beautiful one of all," he reached to gently close her eyes, tapping a finger against her turned up nose, "And he wanted to give it to Princess Emerie but he got lost."

"Was he scared?"

"He was very scared –he didn't think anyone would come looking for him."

Emmie opened her eyes as she reached to grasp two of his fingers, pulling his hand to tuck it under her chin, "Princess Emerie will come looking for him –she'll save him."

Embry smiled as he stroked his thumb over the knuckles of her small hand, "She always does. She finds him deep in the forest when the sun is starting to fall asleep –"

"Is he crying?"

"He didn't think he would get to see Princess Emerie again," Embry smiled as she let out another yawn, "But when he saw her come to save him…he was so happy."

He watched her, seconds ticking into minutes as her soft breathing deepened, her small hand relaxing around his fingers but he didn't move, simply laying his head on his arms, closing his eyes as his breathing naturally synchronized with hers, the soft pitter-patter of her heart lulling him to a peaceful sleep.


	27. Chapter 25

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Another chapter! This one's shorter than usual but not unusually short. For those missing a certain vampire couple of mine -a brief visit from them!  
**

**Gaby -I love you.  
**

**Ses -I'll always miss you and I hope I didn't loose you the way I lost hilja and Lynn  
**

**chelsea, lette, moani, Gianna, Brazilian -y'all make my day whenever you review.  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and remember, for my sake, to review...the more reviews, the faster I update (I already have the next two chapters completed!)  
**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**  
_February 13__th__  
Forks Memorial Hospital_

The metal doors slid open, the only two occupants stepping out onto the fourth floor of the small town hospital.

Being the middle of the day, there were quite a few people milling about in the open waiting areas on either side of the elevator, family and friends talking and laughing, sharing in the joy of new life.

As the new arrivals walked by them towards the nurse's station, silence followed like a wave after them as people turned to stare, some of them actually showing open mouthed awe.

The entire situation would have been humorous were it not a constant occurrence for their kind.

Stopping at the front desk, the nurse looked up, her eyes going wide as she stood, her mouth opening but words failing to come out.

"I'm looking for Rachel Black Lahote."

She nodded, her fingers tripping over the keyboard in search of the mouse, not once looking down to see where it was.

Stepping out from behind him, the petite brunette with him tilted her head to the side, the look in her eyes making the nurse blush as she looked at the computer screen, her words coming out in a stutter, "S-she's in room f-four forty six. Ar-are you family?"

He knew why she was nervous and he found it amusing, giving her a smile that had her blinking, a dazed look crossing her oval face, "She's my sister."

Annabelle rolled her eyes as she pulled him away from the desk, giving his hand a squeeze as she looked sideways at him, "You shouldn't do that. It's not fair to them."

Jacob laughed, amused as a doctor tripped over his own feet coming out of a patient's room, his bug-out eyes on Annabelle, "Not my fault I was beautiful to begin with."

Annabelle's laughter spilled forth like vibrating harp music, her long blue-black hair tumbling around her shoulders as she shook her head at him, "Having an overinflated ego is, though."

Jacob chuckled as he pulled her into his side, letting go of her hand to wrap his arm around her back, his hand on her hip as he leaned down to whisper into her ear, neither one missing a stride, "I blame you for that…and it's not like you're not getting attention yourself."

"It's the only reason I don't get jealous," she gave him a teasing wink, kissing the corner of his mouth as they stopped outside the closed door to the room, "I'll wait for you here."

"Why," Jacob knocked softly against the wood, squeezing her waist as he looked down into her butterscotch eyes, "You're with me –besides, my sister want to meet you."

"But your brother-in-law hates –"

"I knew I smelled something disgusting," Paul held the door open, his large body blocking the entrance as he glared at them, the slight quiver of his muscles letting them know he was barely holding on to himself.

"Hello Paul. I came to see my sister and meet my nieces."

Paul scoffed as he looked from Jacob's odd colored eyes to Annabelle, "There's no way I'm letting you or your…imprint anywhere near –"

"Is that Jacob," Rachel's voice interrupted, the sound of someone moving in the room clear to all three, "Paul, let him in."

"Are you insane," Paul looked over his shoulder at his wife, still blocking Jacob and Annabelle from looking or walking into the room, "They're –"

"I know what they are," Rachel interrupted him again, rolling her eyes at him as she smoothed the blanket over her lap, finally feeling human after several hours of sleep and a shower, "He's my brother and I haven't seen him in years. Now let him in…and I'm not insane."

"But the babies –"

"The babies are in the nursery," she arched an eyebrow at him, the look in her dark brown eyes letting him know she wasn't willing to deal with him, "And even if they weren't, he's their uncle. Now let him in."

Jacob bit back a smile at the low growl coming from Paul, arching an eyebrow as the big guy grudgingly stepped aside to let them in, his eyes locked on them as they moved into the room, "I should have told you you'd be letting us in. You've always been Rachel's bitch."

"Don't antagonize him," Annabelle gave him a warning look as she lightly slapped his upper arm, shaking her head when he just laughed.

"I'd go over there and hug you," Jacob grinned at his sister as they stopped a couple of feet away from the foot of the hospital bed, "But your husband will probably lose it."

Rachel chuckled, studying his face for a few seconds before giving him a smile, "You're looking good, Jake…"

She swung her eyes towards Annabelle, studying the small girl for a few seconds before looking at her brother with a pointed look that would have had him blushing were he able too, "Sorry. This is Annabelle –she's my girl."

Rachel nodded, biting her lip as she looked over at Annabelle again, "You're…beautiful."

Annabelle's full lips twitched into a smile, her big eyes bright as she responded, "So are you."

Rachel smiled, wishing she could say some pleasant banality about being a pleasure to meet her and such but Jacob had warned her, had told her Annabelle would be able to see through the lies –because in all reality, it wasn't a pleasure to meet her…it wasn't a pleasure to see her brother this way…

She loved him and for that reason, she tolerated what her brother had become but it still bothered her…it probably always will.

Blinking quickly to keep from crying, she reached to take Paul's hand –he was standing next to her by the head of the bed, "You should go by the nursery. Paul can point out the girls to you."

"That would probably be for the best," Jacob gave her a smile, letting her know he understood their caution, "What did you name them?"

"Marilynn Sarah," she let out a tired sigh, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear, "Kaitlynn Skye was born two minutes after."

"Nice," Jacob dropped his arm, taking Annabelle's hand in his, their fingers interlocking, "You used mom's name."

She nodded, reaching up to cover a yawn, "I'm sorry –I'm exhausted."

"You should be," Jacob moved forward to squeeze her toes but stopped at the rumbling growl coming from Paul, moving back with an amused smile on his face, "You just had twins this morning. We'll go to the nursery to see them –I don't think Paul would handle it very well if they're in the same room with us."

"Damn right I won't," Paul's scowl melted into a tender smile as he looked into Rachel's eyes, reaching to cup her face, his thumb stroking her cheek, "I'll be back as soon as they leave."

Rachel reached up to grasp his wrist, closing her eyes when he pressed a kiss against her forehead before looking at Jacob, "Make sure you see Dad."

"I called to let him know I was coming," Jacob moved towards the door, Annabelle staying by his side, "We're meeting him later today at the Lodge."

"Good," Rachel let out another yawn, reaching up to rub her eyes before looking at him again, "Rebecca's flying in tomorrow."

"That's great," Jacob grinned as he looked down at Annabelle, "I haven't seen her in a long time."

"Will you be able to stay for the naming ceremony?"

He looked over at his sister then at Paul, his face impassive as he neutrally answered, "I'll talk to Sam –see if he'll let us come."

Rachel nodded, moving to get more comfortable, a slight wince crossing her face, "I understand."

"Love you sis."

She smiled at him, letting out a soft sigh filled with so much emotion, "Love you too Jake."

The silence was tense as Paul led them down the hall, turning a corner to stop before a wall to wall window, the nursery filled with an equal amount of occupied and empty cribs.

Stopping at the other end of the window, Paul pointed towards two cribs, side by side, a proud smile spreading across his face, "Those are my girls."

Jacob smiled as he studied the small bundles, their sleeping faces the only visible part of them, "They're beautiful."

"Yeah," Paul nodded, keeping his eyes on his newborn daughters as he flattened his hand against the glass, "They look like Rachel."

"Of course they do," Jacob slid his hand into his jeans' pocket, the other one still holding Annabelle's smaller hand, "They wouldn't be beautiful if they looked like you."

Paul's lips quirked into a smile, a soft chuckle escaping him before looking away from the swaddled infants, "Billy will be glad to see you."

"It'll be good to see him too," Jacob's face showed a bit of wistfulness and regret that Annabelle missed as she watched the babies, her big eyes moving from one to the other.

Jacob watched her, seeing an avid interest in her eyes as she studied a nurse swaddling a crying baby.

Paul straightened as a nurse approached him, "Mr. Lahote?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to be bringing your babies into the room. Would you like to meet me there?"

His eyes swung over to Jacob and Annabelle, jaw tight as he told the nurse, "I'll wait to go with you."

She nodded before going into the nursery, hitting her shoulder against the doorframe –she had been staring at Jacob.

Paul would have laughed except for one thing, "She drops one of my babies because of you and I'll dismember you."

Jacob's mouth tilted into a smile as he pulled at Annabelle's hand, "We'll leave. Congratulations, man. You're gonna be a good dad."

Paul nodded, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "I hope."

"There is no I hope," Jacob pointed at him, the seriousness of his words written all over his face, "You screw up and I'll be the one dismembering you."

Paul let out a soft scoff, keeping his eyes on them until they rounded the corner.

They didn't speak until the elevator doors closed, once again the only ones in there.

"You seemed rather interested in the babies."

Annabelle looked up into his face, giving his a hand a squeeze as she smiled, "They're really small. I've never seen anything so small."

"I haven't either," he pulled her into his arms, letting go of her hand to hold her close to him, "Did you ever want kids?"

She chuckled, spreading her hands against his chest, "It was the nineteen hundreds, Jacob. It was just assumed…I was sixteen when Edward proposed –I really didn't think much past that."

He didn't say anything, simply pressing a kiss against her smooth forehead, letting her go when the doors slid open.

Walking out the main entrance hand in hand, Annabelle looked up at him as they walked through the parking lot towards their rental car, "I'm sorry you couldn't hold your nieces."

Jacob stopped, letting go of her hand to cup her face, "I would have loved getting to hold those little girls…but not if it meant not having you."

Annabelle blinked a few times before reaching up to pull his head down, her lips smooth against his as she whispered, "I love you."

He smiled before tilting his head to the side, the kiss soft and slow, unhurried as the world continued to move around them.

Neither one cared, though, because time for them was no longer an issue.

Forever was a present day thing for both of them.

* * *

_March 6__th_

Marc didn't want to celebrate his _ninth_ birthday. Despite his Tia's reassurance on his innocence, that dark night five years ago still hurt too much to celebrate his life when it had cost his mother hers.

For that reason, he refused a birthday party but insisted on one for Vivi. His sister deserved to celebrate her life, to enjoy the coming of another year –she was the reason he carried so much guilt inside him, guilt he didn't hold against her because to him, it was a sacrifice worth making.

She had deserved to live and he had made sure of that, didn't regret that…his regret was the sacrifice his mother made for him.

That morning started off with a family breakfast, just them four, with Tia Rosa insisting on putting candles on _both_ their waffles as they sang happy birthday, Vivi holding his hand the entire time.

She knew how difficult this day was for him and did everything possible to make it easier to handle –everything except pretend it didn't exist.

The gifts had been wonderful and even Marc didn't frown at getting his, glad Tia had let everyone else know there would be no party for him –seemed like they dropped off gifts the night before or something.

Soon after breakfast, Granma Sue showed up, handing him a wrapped box after giving him a hug and a kiss then taking off with Vivi for a girl day in Port Angeles.

As soon as Vivi left with Grandma Sue, they had gotten to work on preparing the house for a surprise birthday party completely dedicated to a princess ballerina.

Pink and silver balloons were everywhere, white and pink streamers twisted and looped all along the banister, over the archway between the living room and kitchen.

The couch and armchairs were moved into the office, the coffee table up against the wall beside the fireplace –they would put all the gifts there.

Uncle Seth set out tables and chairs, Tia Rosa placing the specially made centerpieces –a white plastic ballerina rising in the middle of a bouquet of miniature pink roses –on every table.

Halfway through their preparations, Emily showed up with her kids in tow, a pink birthday cake in her hands, a plastic silver tiara in the center.

Bailey wrinkled her nose as she looked around the room, a small gift box in one hand, the other in the pocket of her jeans, "There's a lot of pink in here."

"It's Vivi's favorite color," Marc answered as he finished taping streamers to the corner of a table, "And it's her party so…"

"Yeah, got it," Bailey walked past him, dropping the gift on the coffee table before moving into the kitchen, Bradley rolling his eyes as he moved to help Marc with the next table, "She didn't want to come."

"She doesn't like my sister," Marc said without any outward emotion as he and Bradley worked together to twirl the pink and white streamers before taping it to the corners of the table.

"She doesn't like anybody," Brad caught the tape Marc tossed his way, tearing off a piece and taping the streamers to his corner of the table, "Sometimes I think she doesn't like me."

"She doesn't," Marc grinned at him as they moved on to another table, "Especially when you beat her time by thirty seconds."

Brad laughed, their conversation centered on bike racing as they continued to work on the tables, finishing long before they ran out of things to talk about.

The ice cream was in the freezer, strawberry punch in the big crystal bowl on the kitchen table along with white plates and cups, white napkins with pink ballerinas stamped on the corners, and pink plastic ware –everything was in place and ready.

Thirty minutes before Granma Sue was to return with Vivi, guests started arriving, including Vivi's third grade classmates.

Marc was excited over this party in a way he wouldn't have been had it been his own. He was looking forward to seeing the look on his sister's face when the door opened and they all yelled surprise.

* * *

"They're so sparkly," Vivi wiggled her small fingers, enthralled with her sparkling nails, the polish clear with pink, white and silver glitter in it, "And pretty!"

Granma laughed as she drove down the one o one towards La Push, the outside air ruffling her newly cut hair, the ends tickling her neck, "I'm glad you like them."

Vivi giggled as she moved in the seat, reaching up to tug at the seat belt stretched across her small chest, "Do you like the color I picked for you?"

Her smile was instantaneous as she spread her fingers, the sunlight bringing out a rainbow shimmer from the champagne color of her carefully manicured nails, "I like it very much. You have a good eye for color."

The pleasure Vivi felt at her words had her kick her feet, watching the way her new pink shoes sparkled in the slanted ray of sun coming from the side window, her legs warm thanks to the opaque white tights she wore with a heavy denim pink skirt ending at the top of her knees.

She had paired it with a white sweater that had silver threads weaved through it, a wide stripe, the exact pink shade of her skirt, cutting horizontally across the sleeves and torso.

"Do you think Grampa Charlie will like them," Vivi looked up at the woman she had called Granma for over a year now, liking the way her dark hair moved, the sun making her copper tone skin shimmer, the lashes around her brown-green eyes long and dark –she was so pretty!

"I doubt he'll even notice."

Vivi's eyebrows lowered as she tilted her head to the side, a sparkly pink headband keeping her long gold-red curls from her face as they tumbled over her shoulder, "Why not? It took a lot of time and they look really pretty."

She smiled as Granma laughed, the car turning into the second street entering the reservation, "Men don't notice things like nails, hair or clothes."

"They don't," Vivi's surprise sounded in her voice, her gold-brown eyes guileless as she waited for an explanation.

It didn't make send why, if it was important enough for her to take time and money to make herself pretty, Grampa Charlie wouldn't even notice.

Was Gabriel going to be the same way?

"One thing you'll learn real quick, Vivi," Granma Sue smiled down at her as she turned into their street, "Is that boys don't think the same way girls do. What's important to girls doesn't matter much to boys and vice versa. It doesn't mean you shouldn't take the time and effort to look pretty just because they won't notice. It just means that when you do something, you do it for yourself and no one else. Do you understand what I mean?"

Vivi nodded as she gnawed on her bottom lip, looking out the side window to see if Aunt Leah's van was there but the only cars were Uncle Seth's Mustang parked behind Tia Rosa's Audi in the driveway, "The choices we make are because we want to make them and not because someone else wants us to make them."

"Exactly," Granma smiled at her as she set the car in park, turning the ignition off, "If you live your life making decisions based on someone else, you'll never get to find out who you really are and what you're capable of."

Vivi undid her seat belt, turning sideways on her booster seat to look into Granma Sue's eyes, "The school suggested I get skipped a grade –again. I don't want too, though."

"Is it because of Gabriel?"

Vivi bit her lip as she gave a shy nod, "He's my best friend…but he's not the only reason. I like my friends. Miriam, Kirsten…Beth is my best girl friend in Forks and she's going into fourth grade with the others. I don't want to skip to fifth grade –I would have to make new friends...and let's face it, Marc wouldn't let anyone come near me long enough for me to befriend them."

A smile tugged at Granma's lips as she reached out to push Vivi's long hair over her shoulder, "Vivi…I'm not going to tell you what to do…even at your age, you're smart enough to know what's best for you, but don't let others make your choices. Okay?"

Vivi nodded, giving her a small smile before moving onto her knees to hug her neck, "Okay. Thank you Granma."

"Always, sweetie," Granma kissed her cheek before pulling back, her bright eyes dancing, "Let's go inside and show your Tia Rosa how nice your nails turned out."

Vivi giggled as she hopped out onto the curb before pushing the heavy car door shut.

Skipping up the walkway, she jumped up the three porch steps as Granma opened the front door.

"SURPRISE!"

Vivi let out a small scream, her hands flying up to cover her mouth, eyes wide as the people filling the living room laughed at her response.

"Happy birthday sister," Marc stepped forward, pulling her into a hug as she let out a sniff, blinking fast to keep from crying, "Was this your idea?"

He nodded, "Tia Rosa and Uncle Seth helped me."

She threw her arms around his neck, having to rise up on her toes a bit, "Thank you."

After hugging Tia Rosa and Uncle Seth, Vivi was surrounded by her friends, both from school and La Push.

Nika's shyness didn't last long with Vivi tugging her along to join her and the other girls from Forks Elementary, the little group chattering excitedly as they played the games Leah had helped plan.

Vivi was enjoying herself, playing with abandonment, her school friends exclaiming over the playground in her backyard.

Bailey watched from the top of the monkey bar dome, wrinkling her nose at their silly giggles and high pitched voices.

"Why aren't you playing with them," Gabe asked as he climbed the last few bars to where she was.

Bailey rolled her eyes at him, thinking the answer obvious, "They're girls."

Gabe laughed as he flipped, hanging upside down on the bar, his feet hooked onto the side bars to keep himself from slipping, "You're a girl."

"Shut up," Bailey followed after her cousin, both of them hanging upside down as they talked, "Nika and Vivi are girly girls. They like dolls and glitter and the color pink. Not me."

Gabe laughed as he began to swing to and fro, grabbing a bar overhead before kicking his legs free, hanging there until his hands slipped and landing in a crouch as someone called out from the opened back door, "Time for cake!"

"That's why you'll never be pretty," Gabe said to his cousin as he crawled out of the dome, "'Cause you won't wear pink."

Bailey pulled herself up, her face flushed as she scrambled down as fast as she could, yelling over her shoulder at Gabe, "I don't care!"

And she didn't because pretty girls didn't race their bikes or climbed trees and Bailey loved nothing more than how it felt when she pedaled her bike for all she was worth or climbed higher up the tree than the boys.

Vivi's eyes were bright as she sat at the head of the table, avidly watching as Tia Rosa lit the eight candles on the cake.

They all started singing happy birthday as the kitchen lights dimmed, a flash letting her know Tia was taking pictures –like she always did.

"Okay Ladybug," Seth leaned over the back of her chair to kiss her smooth cheek, "Make a wish and blow out your candles."

Vivi closed her eyes, concentrating really hard before taking a deep breath and blowing out all eight candles.

Applause, more flashes then Aunt Leah turned on the lights, "Okay kids. Go find yourself a table and we'll bring out the cake and ice cream."

"Yay!"

All the kids ran out to the living room, the sound of chairs dragging against the wooden floor making Tia flinch.

Vivi stayed in her chair, hands on her lap as she watched Granma cut the cake while Tia scooped the ice cream and Aunt Leah filled the cups halfway with strawberry punch.

"What did you wish for?"

Vivi turned to look into Gabriel's blue eyes –he had come back into the kitchen when he didn't see her in the living room with her friends.

"I can't say," Vivi reached up to fix the birthday crown Uncle Seth had put on her before they sung happy birthday, "It won't come true."

"You can't keep it a secret," Gabe frowned at her as he tilted his head to the side, "Married people don't keep secrets."

"We're not married yet."

"But we will be," he gave her that 'duh' look that she knew so well.

Looking down at her hands, she realized he was right. Her porcelain skin turned a bright pink as she whispered, "I wished you would kiss me some day."

A combination of shock and disgust crossed his face as he wrinkled his nose, "Eww. Why would I want to do that?"

Vivi blinked in surprise, Gabe's name coming from the living room. She watched him run off, blinking fast but a tear still managed to escape.

Sniffing, she looked down at her hands, working hard not to make a sound as more tears marked a path down her cheeks.

"Vivi," Marc came into the kitchen, "Why are you in here?"

Vivi sniffed as she got down from the chair, reaching up to wipe away the tears.

"What's wrong," Marc reached out to touch her cheek, eyebrows lowering over dark eyes as he pointed behind him, "Did _he_ make you cry?"

"No," Vivi shook her head, feeling bad about lying but she knew if she told Marc the truth, he would go pick a fight with Gabriel, "He didn't do anything…I'm just…really happy."

Marc gave her a dubious look, still certain Gabe had something to do with her crying.

"Really," she took his hand in hers, giving him a bright smile, "They're happy tears."

His doubtful look morphed into confusion as he arched an eyebrow at her, "Girls are weird. Come on; let's go open your gifts."

Rubbing her hand over her face, she kept her smile big and bright.

She didn't want him to know he made her cry.

* * *

_May 7__th_

"Happy birthday to you!"

"Make a wish Gabe," Emmie leaned over the table, scrambling to sit on her bottom when she saw Daddy giving her _the look_.

Gabe stared hard at the eight candles on his birthday cake, thinking what would be good to wish for.

An airplane of his own…

A new racing bike…

Or…

Taking in a deep breath, he blew out all eight candles, laughing at the twins as they clapped their hands, letting out high pitched giggles as they jockeyed against each other for Uncle Seth's lap.

"Okay," Leah took the cake from the table to go inside, "Everyone go play while I cut the cake."

The twins scrambled off Uncle Seth and headed to the sandbox, Patrick Roy right behind them.

Emmie dragged Embry to the dollhouse, Lili at her other side, the flowers on the small garden beside the little house pushing up and blooming.

Gabe clambered off the chair to join his cousins by the monkey bars, Vivi looking up from watching Tyra toddling around Daddy's legs, a little hand holding on to his jeans, "What did you wish for, Gabriel?"

Gabe stood still as he stared at her, his blue eyes wide as he wondered if he should tell her or not.

"You can't keep secrets," Vivi moved closer as she pointed a finger at him, "You said so yourself."

Gabe looked away from her gold-brown eyes, watching Tyra as she giggled, letting go of Daddy's pants' leg to tuck her hands under chin, bending her knees before popping up as she stretched her arms to be picked up, her laugh high as Daddy swung her up into his arms and talked to her.

Looking back at Vivi, a few seconds passed before he answered, his voice so low only she heard him.

"I wished that I would want to kiss you some day."


	28. Chapter 26

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Another update? So soon? Well, I expect something in return -lots and lots of reviews! If I do get them, I just might up my updates to two a weekend.  
**

**Gaby -look forward to your two reviews. love you like crazy girl and I thank you for introducing me to the song used here, which reminds me. Disclosure: the song here, titled "Give Into Me" is by Garrett Hedlund but I've claimed it as Lian's. Look it up -it's beautiful and if you listen to it as you read the chapter, you'll be amazed at how amazing it turns out.  
**

**Ses -I miss you like the desert misses the rain.  
**

**Moani, Chelsea, Lette, DripDrop -darlings, I love getting reviews from you. Keep 'em coming!  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and please review...the more reviews, the more chapters.  
**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

_First week of July  
Interstate 160 into Arizona  
Destination: Grand Canyon National Park_

He stretched out his legs, crossing them at the ankles as he stuck his pick between his teeth to pull the pencil from the spine of his worn leather journal, crossing out a couple of words before writing on the line underneath.

Tapping the pencil a couple of times against the opened journal on his lap, he hummed as he thought over the lyrics, placing a couple of extra chords over the new lyrics before slipping the pencil back into the spine.

Taking his pick, he leaned into his guitar, the strings softly humming as he moved from chord to chord, singing under his breath.

The tour bus rocked a bit as it ate up the miles, the long stretch of road passing by in a blur.

"What are you working on?"

He looked up from his journal, smiling as Julie walked down the narrow alleyway towards the side couch where he sat, the denim shorts she wore displaying the longest legs he'd ever seen.

"A song that's been in my head for a couple of days now," he moved his guitar to the side, holding out his hand to her, his fingers closing over hers as he pulled her down to sit beside him, "I think it'll be better as a duet. Want to give it a try?"

Julie nodded, tucking her legs under her as he moved the guitar to rest on his left thigh, effectively surrounding her from all sides.

Lifting his right foot to rest the heel of his boot on the leather seat, he pointed at the pages of the journal as she set it on her lap, "These marked parts would be you…but feel free to add your voice wherever you feel it would work."

She looked up at him with a smile, her breath stuttering slightly as she realized how close his face was to hers.

Staring into her wide purple eyes, Lian worked hard to get his heart under control, pulling her in closer to reach the neck of his guitar before he began to softly strum the opening chords.

His voice was low and somewhat rough, his lips near her ear causing a shiver to make its way down her back as goosebumps broke along her skin.

_I'm gonna wear you down  
I'm gonna make you see  
I'm gonna get to you  
You're gonna give into me_

Julie tried to take a deep breath without being too obvious, her hand trembling as she kept the journal open on her lap, his heart beating hard against her shoulder blade:

_I'm gonna start a fire  
You're gonna feel the heat  
I'm gonna burn for you  
You're gonna melt for me_

Without thinking, she looked up at him, his lips brushing her temple as they both sang the chorus:

_Come on, come on  
Into my arms  
Come on, come on  
Give into me_

Lian's fingers moved over the neck of the guitar, his heart beating faster as she stared into his eyes, their noses occasionally brushing against each other as she sang the words he had written with her in mind:

_You're gonna take my hand  
Whisper the sweetest words  
And if you're ever sad  
I'll make you laugh  
I'll chase the hurt_

The unity of their voices was absolute as they stared into each others' eyes, their foreheads touching, their mouths only inches away:

_My heart is set on you  
I don't want no one else  
And if you don't want me  
I guess I'll be all by myself_

_Come on, come on  
Into my arms  
Come on, (come on), Come on  
Give into me_

Julie placed a trembling hand against his jaw, her fingers moving over his face as she softly sang the last verse:

_I'll use my eyes to draw you in  
Until I'm under your skin  
I'll use my lips, I'll use my arms  
Come on, come on, come on  
Give into me_

A slight tilt of his head had her lips brushing against his as she closed her eyes, the last words softly disappearing into a kiss:

_Give into me  
Give into me_

Julie moved her hand to the back of his neck, a soft moan sounding deep in her throat as the kiss deepened; the taste of it was so sweet and addictive.

Placing the guitar on the seat behind him without breaking the kiss, Lian wrapped his arms around her, their tongues moving together in a slow dance as he pulled her into his lap.

A sudden jerk of the tour bus had them pulling apart as Mitch –one of Lian's guitarists –yelled from the front of the bus, "That's my song!"

He was driving the bus, Micah –Lian's drummer –keeping him company.

The speakers crackled, Bon Jovi's voice filling the tour bus as it jerked again, the journal in Julie's lap tumbling down to the floor.

"Mitch," Lian yelled towards the front of the bus, "Keep your hands on the damn wheel!"

The curtain that separated the front cab was pulled back as Mitch leaned into view to give Lian a big grin, "Whatever you say hoss!"

"Eyes on the road, Mitch!"

He laughed as he pulled the curtain close; Lian shook his head as he looked down into Julie's flushed face, "Sorry about that."

She gave him a shy smile, moving off his lap to sit next to him, leaning down and picking up his journal, "It's alright. I too get excited when Bon Jovi is played on the radio."

Lian laughed as he took the journal, setting it aside before reaching to nudge her chin up so he could look into her eyes, "Do you like the song?"

A blush stole across her cheekbones but she didn't look away, this time working hard to keep the fear from overwhelming her, "It's beautiful."

"I have a friend in Phoenix with a studio…we could record it…after we do the video for the other one."

The vulnerable look in his eyes squeezed her heart as she took in a deep breath, reaching up to touch a finger to his chin as she nodded, "Sounds good…you have a chin dimple."

Lian's smile was lopsided as he took the thick braid down her back to lay it over her shoulder, "My cousin called it a butt chin."

"Your cousin's stupid."

He laughed, leaning forward until their foreheads touched, their breaths mingling as he whispered, "You have no idea…how stupid he is."

Her giggle was low, her lips blooming open as his mouth moved over hers, her fingers moving over his jaw as the tip of his tongue touched her bottom lip.

"Yo hoss!"

Mitch's voice over the speakers had them pulling apart again, Lian letting out a breath of frustration as he yelled towards the cab, "What!"

"Did you tell your girl about the swap offer?"

Julie couldn't help laughing, her arms wrapping around her stomach as she bend forward, Lian watching her in complete fascination as her face turned red.

After a few minutes, she finally got control of herself, sitting back into the couch, Lian's arm settling around her back.

"Sorry," Julie reached up to tuck a loose curl behind her ear, "That just sounded…so wrong."

"And you laugh at things that sound wrong," he teased as he crossed his ankles, pulling her in closer until she was leaning against his chest, the top of her head brushing his chin as she looked up at him.

"No, it's just…we were kissing and…" she giggled as he cocked an eyebrow at her, "Forget it. What offer is he talking about?"

"Have you found a guitarist to replace –"

"No," she shook her head, not wanting to hear his name –the whole humiliating episode still caused her more than just embarrassment, "I'm planning on auditions after we get back to New York."

"I have a proposition for you, then."

Julie looked into his dark brown eyes as he took her hand, a small shudder running down her back at the small circles his thumb was drawing against her bare shoulder.

"Mitch would like to play with your band –he's got amazing skill –"

"He's your best guitarist, Lian," she interrupted him, the confusion in her purple eyes evident to him, "Quite frankly, he should have been first choice over Adam when we first recorded, I just…"

Lian pressed a kiss against her temple as he rubbed his thumb over the knuckles of the hand he was holding, "He's an amazing guitarist, yes, but he much prefers your genre of music over mine. He's dedicated, has good vocals if you need them and most importantly, he'll show you nothing but respect."

Julie bit her bottom lip as she looked up from their joined hands, a slight blush spreading over her high cheekbones, "Because he thinks I'm your girl?"

Lian raised her hand to press a kiss against her knuckles, his dark brown eyes never leaving hers, "Because he thinks you're my girl."

Her blush deepened and Lian couldn't help leaning in to press a kiss on her lips, her bottom lip plum between his.

Letting out a soft sigh, she pulled back, reaching up to touch her finger to his bottom lip, "What about you? You need a guitarist."

"Micah has a brother trying to make it in Nashville," Lian's nose brushed the tip of hers before tracing a line up and over her eyebrow, "I'm flying him up for an audition but since I've heard his demo…"

Julie nodded, giving him a smile before she leaned in to kiss him, "Thank you Julian."

He smiled, leaning in the few centimeters separating them to kiss her mouth, burying his fingers into her hair, his thumb rubbing small circles behind her ear.

Julie moved closer, her heart beating a fast tempo that harmonized with his, the kiss slowly building on the new foundation of trust and friendship that had solidified between them.

Julie buried her fingers into his hair, tilting her head back, giving him better access to her mouth.

The bus jerked again as AC/DC's 'Shook Me All Night Long' blared over the speakers, Julie chuckling at the look on Lian's face as they broke apart.

"Dammit, Mitch," Lian hollered as Julie buried her face into his chest, "I'm going to take your driving privileges away!"

Mitch's boisterous laugh floated back to them as he yelled, "You can try –but I don't recommend it!"

* * *

_Last week of July  
Phoenix, AZ_

She finished tying the front laces of her corset style top, picking up the silver buckled belt and sliding it through the loops of her jeans.

As soon as she was done with the belt, she moved into the bathroom, applying her make-up with an expert hand.

A knock at the door had her stop for a second, lip gloss wand in hand.

Applying it quickly, she screwed the tube close and tossed it into her bag before heading across the room to open the door.

Lian's mouth dropped open as his eyes slowly moved over her face, down her body and back, "Wow. You look…amazing."

"Thank you," Julie's husky voice made him swallow back a groan as she stepped back to let him into the room.

"Are you going somewhere," Lian stuffed his hands into his jeans' pockets as he looked around the adobe style hotel room –anything to keep him from staring at her in open mouthed awe.

"I'm meeting some friends," Julie closed the door, moving to sit on the edge of the bed and pull on her black cowboy boots, "At Graham Central Station. Would you like to come with me?"

Lian's lips lifted into a smile, "Sure. Do I need to change?"

She looked him over, biting the inside of her lip as the thought of him being drop dead gorgeous in worn out jeans, tight black t-shirt with a worn out leather belt and equally worn boots slipped through her defenses, "No. You'll fit right in."

The ten miles to Tempe went by fast as they talked, Julie telling him about her friends and how they met at a music camp in Idaho.

Pulling into the packed parking lot, Lian found a far off spot, the rental car beeping as he engaged the alarm.

Taking Julie's hand in his, they made their way towards the building, still talking with ease.

As soon as Lian opened the door, a hostess in a white t-shirt with a black skirt greeted them, a clipboard in one hand.

Julie gave her name, the girl looking at the list before giving them a bright smile, "Your private party is in the Rockin' Rodeo room down the hall, second door to your left."

Julie gave her a smile, "Thank you."

She nodded, biting her lip as they started down the hallway, "Excuse me?"

They stopped, Julie cocking her head to the side, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry, it's just…" she cleared her throat before taking a piece of blank paper from under the VIP list, "My daughter is such a big fan of yours. Would you…I mean, may I have an autograph? For her?"

Julie smiled as she took the paper, Lian handing her a felt tip pen, "Of course. What's your daughter's name?"

"Savannah. She loves to sing –wants to be a famous music star like you."

Julie blushed as she placed the sheet of paper against Lian's chest, his chuckles making it hard to keep her writing straight.

Signing her name at the bottom, she handed the paper back to the hostess who thanked her with a big smile.

"You're welcome."

They continued their way down the hall, Julie smirking up at Lian as she handed him his pen, "You always carry a pen with you?"

"Always be prepared," Lian plucked the pen from her fingers with a smile, slipping it into the back pocket of his jeans, "I was a good boy scout…well, I would have been had I not grown up in the reservation."

Julie laughed as Lian opened the door into the party room, a surprised yelp escaping her as she got slammed, Lian keeping her from falling to the ground, "You're here!"

"Are you insane," Julie de-tangled herself, Lian's big hands on her waist keeping her in place; "You shouldn't be doing that!"

"Oh, shush," Daisy smiled up at her, tugging at the hem of her denim jacket, "I'm pregnant not terminally ill."

"Six months pregnant," Julie grinned as she placed both hands on Daisy's round stomach, "This is my first godchild –you have to be more careful."

"I'm keeping you away from Brandon," Daisy sniffed, looking over her shoulder as a shout sounded across the large room, "He's driving me crazy enough on his own, and I don't need you to help him."

Julie laughed, her head snapping up as she heard her name, "Jules!"

Unable to help herself, she ran across the room, jumping into his arms and holding tight as he swung her around.

"It's been too long," Derek squeezed her before placing her back on her feet, reaching up to frame her face with both hands, "You haven't called me."

"Phone works both ways," Julie lightly slapped his chest, "And I haven't seen your number on my caller ID."

"Well, sorry," Derek dropped his hands, tipping his cowboy hat back; "I have a wife that is insanely jealous of you."

"Oh, shut up," Susie pushed him aside, pulling Julie into her arms for a tight hug, "Don't you listen to him. He doesn't think before speaking."

"You ought to curb that," Julie teased her as they pulled apart, tossing her long curls over her shoulder, "People hold you responsible for him."

"I'm a blessing is what I am," Derek pulled Susie into his arms, kissing her cheek before resting his chin on top of her head, "Who did you bring with you?"

Julie smiled as she turned to look at Lian –he and Daisy had joined their small reunion by the edge of the dance floor, "This is Lian."

"No way," Derek opened his eyes really wide, "_The_ Lian Young! Oh my God!"

They all laughed as Susie elbowed him in the gut, "Stop being an ass. I'm sorry for his behavior –he's still sober."

Lian chuckled, placing his arm around Julie's waist as she moved to stand next to him, "Not a problem."

Julie introduced her three friends, giving Derek a look that had him closing his mouth on what he was about to say.

"We have a surprise for you," Daisy took her hand as Derek placed two fingers in his mouth and let out a high pitch whistle.

Julie's mouth dropped open as the Idaho band came out from the back, the stage lights blinking on as the house lights dimmed, the dance floor lighted under the spinning disco ball, "How did you do this?"

"Easy," Derek grinned as he grabbed Julie's hand, "There's a teacher conference going on this weekend so I told the guys you would be here and they all hopped onto the back of my truck. Now that I've explained –yo Keith! Play our song!"

Lian watched as Derek and Julie moved onto the dance floor, the band on stage seamlessly going into Kid Rock's 'All Summer Long.'

"Impressive, aren't they," Susie asked Lian as she moved to stand next to him, watching as Derek spun Julie around the floor.

"Yeah," Lian's awe rang true as he admired the way she moved, her steps sure as she followed Derek, hands crossing and uncrossing, feet occasionally leaving the wooden floor as he picked her up and swung her around, "They've done this before."

"Yep," Daisy tapped her toe as she looked down at her watch –Brandon had offered to pick up three more guests from the airport for tonight, "The kids at camp loved watching them."

"I can understand why."

Susie looked up at him, studying his face for a few seconds before blurting out, "Lyn says you're in love with Julie."

Lian's lips stretched into a smile as the song came to an end, "That's true."

Susie and Daisy nodded with a smile, both speaking in unison as Derek and Julie returned to join them, "Good."

Taking Julie's hand as another song began to play, he gave Derek a cocky smile, "My turn."

* * *

"I'm surprised you haven't broken his nose yet," Lance gestured towards the dance floor with his chin, picking up his glass of water as he watched Julie dancing with Lian, the two of them laughing and enjoying themselves.

"Three more beers," Derek slouched in his chair, his arm stretched over the back of Susie's chair, "And I won't be legally responsible in case he decides to sue me. A guy like that should have his face insured, right?"

Susie shook her head as she bounced her leg, her two year old niece Abigail giggling as she held on to her hands, "I'm sure he's not that conceited. Do me a favor and wait until Mattie and Lance take Abby back to the hotel –I don't want her getting scared of her Uncle Derek. Right Abby?"

The little girl giggled, wrinkling her nose when Derek blew her a kiss, green eyes bright as she turned to look for her Daddy, "There you go, picking Daddy over your Uncle. Am I not cute enough for you?"

Abby laughed, shaking her head before she climbed down from Susie's lap to run around the table and climb into her father's.

"Sorry Deek," Lance used the nickname he had come up with back when Susie started dating her husband, "This little girl loves one man and one man only. Right baby girl?"

Abby giggled, her curls tumbling around her small face as she nodded, snuggling into her father's side as Lian and Julie came to their table.

"Mattie," Julie exclaimed in pleasure as soon as she caught sight of her friend, "I had no idea you were coming!"

Mattie laughed as she stood up, the two of them hugging before pulling back, "We were coming down anyway so we thought why not stop to see you."

Lance kissed Julie's cheek, Abby hiding her face into his neck as Julie looked her way, "She's beautiful. Pictures do her no justice."

"They don't," Lance agreed as he shifted her in his arms, sitting back in his chair, "But Rose sure tries whenever she comes by for a visit."

Julie sat down beside Lian, his arm stretched over the back of her chair, "So what did you guys come down here for?"

"We're picking up our foster kids," Mattie picked up her soda can to take a sip, "They're from Seattle but ran away from their last foster home. They were assigned to us and we decided it would be best to come in person to pick them up ourselves."

"They're ten and fourteen, brother and sister," Lance reached out to place his hand on Mattie's thigh, "They have no family. They're mother died in a car crash last year and they've been through four foster homes already. The boy is autistic so it makes them more of a challenge."

"One you're well prepared for," Julie turned to Lian as she explained, "Lance is a prosecutor for the city of Seattle but teaches rock climbing during the summers at Camp Away. Mattie's a social worker at the camp and most of their campers have some form Asperger's or Down syndrome –they're all special needs with amazing talents."

"Don't knock yourself out, Jules," Derek picked up his half-empty beer bottle, pointing the neck towards her, "She's been instrumental to the musical growth of quite a few prodigies. Ever heard of Kimberly Tate?"

"I own all her CDs," Lian said as an answer, turning to look at Julie in awe as Derek kept talking, "Jules was her first music teacher."

"I didn't know you played the saxophone," he had his hand on her shoulder, his fingers playing with her hair.

"She doesn't play it," Derek finished his beer, looking over his shoulder to signal the bartender for another before looking at Lian; "She owns it. One down –two to go."

"What are you talking about," Daisy asked, a bit out of breath from dancing with Brandon.

"Two more beers, sis."

"Oh, God," Daisy shook her head as Brandon sat in a chair, pulling her to sit on his lap, his hands locked over her round belly.

"Do you have too," Julie gave Derek a pleading look, Lian's eyebrow cocking as Derek looked their way, "He's all touchy feely with you so yes, I have too. Plus, he's got it coming what with all the crap he tossed your way."

"Derek, I'm past all that."

"And I will be too," Derek finished his beer, "Once I break his nose. Another beer!"

Julie grimaced as she looked at Lian, "I'm sorry, I can't stop him."

"It's alright," Lian gave her a smile before leaning in to whisper into her ear, "You'll take care of me afterwards, right?"

A giggle slipped past Julie's lips as she touched her fingertips to his chin, a look of tenderness entering her eyes as she whispered back, "Just like you took care of me."

"Okay, let's go," Derek placed his empty beer bottle on the table, shoving his chair back to stand up, "Outside Young."

Lian's lips quirked into a smile as he stood up, gently squeezing the back of Julie's neck, "Nothing against you but I won't be able to just stand in place and take it."

"No problem, you can dish it back," Derek shrugged as they made their way towards the exit, "Just don't hit me in the face. I have a presentation to do tomorrow for the conference."

Julie stared after them, flabbergasted as their conversation continued amiably and with ease all the way out the door.

"Why are guys so strange," she asked as she looked back at the ones still at the table, Lance shrugging as he repositioned his daughter so she could be more comfortable –she had fallen asleep despite the band still playing, "Beats me. Brandon and I –we're lovers not haters."

"That's why we end up with all the girls," Brandon added, laughing when Daisy gave him an arched look.

"Well, one thing's for sure," Susie sipped her soda as she gave Julie a wink, "Lian's looking forward to you nursing his wounds."

They all laughed at the way her face lit up, all of them seeing what Julie had yet to admit to herself.

She was head over heels in love with Lian Young.


	29. Chapter 27

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Here's a new chapter! What? I updated in the middle of the week? I'm supposed to be updating in the weekends? Oh, sorry, I have a crazy work week so this is as I can do. Side note for any readers that are teachers out there -if for some reason, you like my school theme and projects that go along with it, please let me know you would like to use them before using them.  
**

**Gaby -I love you. I always enjoy your reviews of every single one of my chapters. Look forward to this next one!  
**

**Inosolan -I'm so glad you love my OCs! Look forward to receiving more reviews from you!**

**Chelsea, Moani, Lette, and all you other reviewers -don't be shy, review! The more you review, the more awesome the ideas become!  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and please take the time to review...**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

_August_

**Dear Parents:**

**Our school's theme for the upper elementary students this year is "When I grow up, I'll be a…"**

**Your child will have projects due at the end of each month that will build upon our theme. Our goal is for them to learn and understand how the subjects taught in school –math, science, history and literature –will help them accomplish their goals for the future.**

**Please keep the following projects in mind so you may be able to help your child as needed.**

**Thank you and we look forward to helping you and your child reach their potential.**

**Projects and Due Dates:**

**End of August:**** "When I Grow Up, I'll Be A…" picture collage. Students are encouraged to use pictures from magazines, newspapers and their own creativity to complete this project.**

**End of September:**** "Interviewing a Colleague" –Students must find a person that is in the profession they desire to be. Their questions need to be a minimum of ten and a maximum of twelve. These questions must be turned in at the end of the second week of the month for approval. The interview should be in a question and answer format.**

**End of October:**** "Step Into the Future" –students need to come up with a costume that expresses what they want to be when they grow up. Costumes cannot be store bought –parents can help and any material available can be used. **

**There will be prizes handed out for best costumes at the school's Halloween party.**

**End of November:**** "Blast from the Past" –students need to research and put together a four page essay on the history behind their chosen profession. They can use books as well as internet search but must put together a bibliography of their research materials. A rough draft should be turned in at the end of the second week.**

**End of December:**** "Holiday Cheer" –We'll be doing a gift exchange with our students. They will be drawing names for a gift swap! Gifts should be a minimum of five dollars and a maximum of ten. Please help your child keep in mind their gift partner's choice of future profession when picking a gift for them.**

**End of January:**** "Plan the Path" –Students need to put together a plan of what is required to accomplish their career goals along with a tentative timeline. This should be done presentation style for the students to share with the class.**

**End of February****: "Love What You Do" –A two page essay explaining their chosen career and why they want to do it.**

**Extra Credit: How will their chosen career affect their community and our society?**

**End of March:**** "The Working Cycle" –We'll be learning how the cycle of nature helps the advancement of nature itself.**

**Your child needs to put together a cycle diagram of how other professions will help him/her accomplish his/her chosen profession.**

**End of April:**** "The Mirror Effect" –The animal kingdom functions much like a society with rules, roles and goals. Your child will learn how animals have a place in the animal kingdom and a function that helps the entire kingdom work as it does.**

**Your child will need to make a collage of animals that reflect their chosen profession then choose the animal closest to representing their profession and put together a two page report stating the facts and functions of this animal and how they reflect the facts and functions of their chosen profession.**

**End of May:**** "Open House" –We will open our school and classrooms to our students' family and friends so they may enjoy the hard work and dedication of every child –they are the future!**

* * *

_Friday, End of first week of school in August_

"We'll have more room in here," Vivi looked over her shoulder at Gabe as they made their way into Uncle Seth's office, a stack of magazines in Gabe's arms while Vivi maneuvered two poster boards onto the high tables alongside the wall where they could be out of the way until they were ready to use them.

"We're gonna need glue and scissors," Gabe dropped the magazines on the coffee table, some of them sliding onto the floor, "And markers too."

"I have all of those," Vivi ran out of the room, Gabe kneeling before the table to sift through the magazines they had collected from their family and friends.

Setting the ones that interested him to the side, he flipped through some of the others, looking up when Vivi came back in with a box of supplies in her hands, "I found some pictures in these magazines from Uncle Sam."

"Are they of airplanes," Vivi set the box at the edge of the coffee table, picking up an arts magazine Kim had given to them as she kneeled next to Gabe.

"Of course," Gabe reached across the table to grab the kid size scissors from the box, cutting a big circle around the picture he wanted, the edges of the glossy page jagged.

Setting it on the floor beside him, he dropped the scissors on the table before continuing with his search, "I think I'll cut out helicopters too."

"Those are flown by pilots too," Vivi flipped through her magazine, nibbling on her lip as she flipped glossy page after glossy page, things catching her attention but not meeting her needs.

"I don't know anyone who flies," Gabe cut out another picture, setting the scissors between them before flipping to the end of the magazine and tossing it aside, "How am I supposed to do an interview if I don't know any pilots?"

"Tia Rosa has a friend who has his own plane," Vivi finally found something that might work with what she had in mind, taking the scissors and carefully cutting the entire page out before setting it under the table where it wouldn't get wrinkled or torn, "You can ask her if she can call Andy so you can interview him."

"Really," Gabe gave her a big grin, the gap between his front teeth where his tooth had fallen out of making Vivi smile as a blush creeped into her cheeks, "I'll ask her before you go home."

Gabe's smile grew bigger, Vivi ducking her head as she returned to her magazine, carefully turning each page while Gabe flipped through his, the whip sound of each page turning filling the silence for a few seconds until she spoke up, "I'm going to ask Miss Trinity if I can interview her."

Gabe's eyebrows lowered as he looked over at her, "Why?"

"'Cause she's a ballerina –she even danced with the Russian Ballet!"

"So?"

"What do you mean, so," Vivi looked at him in surprise, briefly wondering what she had done wrong to make him look at her with that 'duh' look of his, "I'm going to be a ballerina when I grow up so I'm going to interview her –she's been a ballerina forever."

"You can't be a ballerina."

Vivi's rosebud mouth dropped open as her eyebrows arched in surprise. Setting the scissors aside, she sat back on her heels, "Why not?"

"'Cause you're gonna marry me when we grow up, that's why."

"So?"

"What do you mean, so," Gabe echoed her words with incredulity as he got to his feet, "You have to stay home and cook and clean and take care of our kids."

"Na-ah," Vivi scrambled up to her feet, her long hair tumbling over her shoulders as she set her small fists on her waist, "Not true. Tia Rosa's married and she works at taking pictures."

"My mama doesn't work," Gabe scowled as he pointed a finger at her, "She stays home and so will you."

"Don't point your finger at me," Vivi swatted his finger aside, her voice getting that shrill edge usually brought out by Marc, "I can do what I want and if I want to be a ballerina, I will!"

"Not if you want to marry me," Gabe tossed the ultimatum at her, the cocky look on his face letting her know he was certain of which she would pick.

Her face flushed a bright red, jaw tight as she glared at him, "Then maybe I won't marry you! Now get out!"

"You can't say that," Gabe yelled back at her, his own face flushing under the russet hue of his skin, "You already said you would marry me and you can't take it back!"

"I can do whatever I want –you don't own me," Vivi stomped out of the office, ignoring Uncle Seth's look of surprise as he came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishtowel as the darkroom's door rotated open, Tia Rosa coming out with an equally surprised look on her face, "And I don't want to see you until you change your mind!"

"Ha," Gabe stomped across the living room floor, grabbing his backpack from the armchair where he had dumped it, "You'll change your mind before I do!"

"Don't hold your breath," Vivi yelled before running up the stairs, a few seconds ticking by before her bedroom door slammed shut, the sound echoing through the house.

Gabe slammed the front door just as loud, the silence heavy before Seth looked over at Rose with wide eyes, "Whoa."

Rose bit her lip to keep from laughing as she wiped her hands, moving towards the kitchen, "Good thing they're getting that out of the way before there's actual kids involved."

"Tell me about it," Seth shook his head, tossing the kitchen towel over his shoulder, "You call Leah and I'll talk to Vivi."

Rose nodded, picking up the cordless phone in the kitchen as Seth made his way up the stairs, his chuckles quiet as he looked at her, "It shouldn't take long for her to understand."

Rose stopped mid-dial, looking over at him in confusion, "Understand what?"

"Gabe's point of view."

"Gabe's point of view," Rose lowered the phone as she gave him a look of surprise, "It's archaic, Seth. For him to think he's got the right to tell Vivi what she can and cannot do –"

"I know, he shouldn't be doing that but he does have a good point."

"A good point," Rose placed her hand on her hip, the other one resting on the counter as she cocked her head to the side, "What good point?"

"That she should stay home –especially if they have kids."

"Are you serious," Rose's mouth dropped open, the obvious disbelief showing in her hazel eyes, "You actually think a woman can't do both –work and take care of her children?"

"I just think it's better for the kids if a parent stays at home with them," Seth leaned against the balustrade as he explained, "Especially when they're younger –help them get to school, greet them when they get home, give them a hand with their homework."

"Did your mother stay at home?"

"Mom was an ER nurse," Seth's lips quirked into a smile, "Dad was a jack of all trades around the reservation so he would look after us when we were little, take us fishing after school, help us with our homework. Whenever mom had to pull night shifts at the hospital, he would tuck us in at night and get us up in the morning for school."

"So that means you're equally capable of staying home to take care of our kids," Rose pointed the phone at him as she gave him a challenging look, "It doesn't necessarily mean I have to be the one to stay at home."

"Well, yeah, but…" Seth's eyebrows lowered as he gave her a strange look, "I'm usually in my office working on designs for hours on end."

"And I'm in the darkroom just as long," Rose let out a frustrated breath, "Not only that, but most of my photo shoots are outside."

"You could take the kids with you."

"Take the kids with me," Rose's voice got a bit high with surprise, "Do you have any idea how dangerous that would be? I get so focused on what I'm doing had the twins been normal, they'd have wandered off, fallen into a hole or something. I can't take little kids with me to a photo shoot, Seth. It's not safe!"

"Well, I'm sorry if my work doesn't take the same amount of concentration yours does," Seth's words dripped with sarcasm as he pushed away from the balustrade, "We should just save ourselves the fucking trouble and not have any kids!"

Rose could feel the heat climbing up her neck, blinking fast to keep the tears at bay as she moved across the living room to yell up the stairs, "Fine by me!"

_1:02AM_

Seth laid on his back, staring at the ceiling as he tried relaxing his body enough to fall asleep but it wasn't working.

His wife was at the other side of the bed, her back to him as she pretended to be sleeping –he knew she was pretending because her breathing was too evenly spaced to be natural.

Keeping his hands stacked on his flat stomach, he let out a quiet breath, the frustration inside him welling up.

Running his fingers through his hair, he gripped the back of his neck, wincing in discomfort as a soft sob –nearly indiscernible were it not for his supernatural hearing –broke the silence, Rose's shoulder rising as she buried her face into her pillow.

Even though he believed himself to be in the right, he couldn't take the tension anymore.

Rolling onto his side, he reached out to touch her shoulder, his fingers stroking her soft skin as he whispered, "I'm sorry."

Moving across the space separating them onto her side of the bed, he kissed her shoulder before burying his face into the side of her neck, his arms wrapping around her small frame as he apologized again, "I'm sorry, baby."

"Did you mean it," her voice was husky, a sniff following as she gripped his forearm, her body relaxing into his, curves settling against hard planes like the last two pieces of a puzzle.

"No," Seth moved his mouth up her neck, his breath tickling her ear as he kissed her temple, "Rosie, I love you…and to have kids with you –it would be great. Everything else…we'll figure it out when it happens."

Moving in the constrained space his arms allotted, she turned until she was facing him, her arms wrapping around his middle, "I don't think your job is less important than mine, Seth."

"I know, baby," Seth kissed her forehead, his lips moving over her face as he moved his hands under the cotton top she wore, his fingers stroking her bare back, "It was unfair of me to say that."

Moving her arms up his back, she gripped his shoulders, placing a kiss at the base of his throat before tilting her head back, her lips opening under his, their need for each other bursting into flames.

The inferno of their desire consumed them both as their bodies melded into one, a lover's moon looking in, unabashedly observing as they expressed their love to each other –not in words but in actions.

* * *

_6:45AM_

The early light of the rising sun slowly creeped into the room through the window, the sheer fabric over them doing nothing to keep it out as it slowly made its way across the bedroom floor towards the bed.

The bed-sheet tented and moved, the white fabric almost see-through as the sunlight touched it.

Biting her lip to stifle a moan, she dug her fingers into the mattress beneath her, the fitted sheet bunching as her hands fisted, body arching as she tried to catch her breath.

His hands moved over her hips and down her legs, long fingers curving over her knees as his mouth left behind a wet trail that slowly made its way down one leg.

Tongue tracing the outline of her knee, he made his way up the inside of her thigh, spreading her thighs wider as he settled between them, the scent of her arousal strong and intoxicating.

Unable to hold back, she let out a soft moan as his mouth covered the most intimate part of her body, breathing labored as she reached up to grab the low headboard of their bed, the wood splintering slightly under her tight grip.

Every strong stroke of his tongue pushed her higher, her neck arching as he covered her mouth with his hand, muffling the scream right before it escaped.

Moving up to cover her body with his, he buried himself in her, their bodies covered in perspiration as he kissed his way up her throat and across her jaw to whisper into her ear, "You need to be quiet when you come _agape _or you'll wake them up."

Leah opened her mouth against his palm, her teeth scraping against the calloused skin of his hand as she wrapped her long legs around his waist, her hips rising off the mattress with every thrust and push.

Moving his hand from her mouth, he licked the curve of her bottom lip, the edge of her teeth nipping his top lip.

Rick sealed her mouth with his, his tongue darting over hers in an unspoken demand for control, Leah giving it to him willingly.

Letting go of the headboard, she buried her fingers into his hair, her tongue retreating and advancing, following his lead as she picked up the taste of her arousal coating his tongue.

Tugging at his hair, she gasped as he broke the kiss, his voice a deep growl in her ear, _"Eláte gia ména, mo̱ró mou –prépei na értheis gia ména ."_ ***Come for me, baby –I need you to come for me***

He wrapped his arms around her, his hands reaching up for fistfuls of her thick hair as she turned her head to the side, her teeth sinking into the muscle of his arm without breaking the skin.

The explosions of their combined release send them spinning beyond the stratosphere and into a heaven solely occupied by them.

As he slowly regained consciousness, he moved his face from her neck, kissing the reddened skin of her shoulder where he had bit down to keep quiet.

Rolling off her, he pulled down the bed-sheet covering them, his heart still racing as he combed his fingers through her hair.

Tucking the sheet under her armpit, she moved to snuggle into his side, letting out a soft sigh as her muscles relaxed into mush, placing a long-fingered hand on his flat stomach as she slid her leg over his, tucking her foot between his knees.

"Told you having the room to ourselves would pay off," he turned his head to kiss her forehead as he moved his fingers over her shoulder and down her arm, looking over at the empty space where his baby girl's crib had been –they had moved her into Emmie's bedroom the day before.

Leah's swollen lips stretched into a smile as she looked up at him, "This _has_ been a long time coming."

"Yes," Rick grinned as he turned to look into her eyes, tracing a finger over her eyebrow, "How did Tyra do last night?"

"Mhm," Leah closed her eyes, enjoying the way he lightly traced her facial features with his finger, "She woke up twice –I fed her, rocked her and just before she fell asleep, she asked for you."

Rick's eyebrows arched as he cupped the side of her face, "Really?"

"Mh-hm," Leah opened her eyes to look into his, the light blue color bright as he looked at her with equal amounts of awe and sadness, "She said 'Da-e.' It was the sweetest thing ever."

"Wow," Rick looked up at the ceiling, letting out a heavy sigh, "I missed her first word."

"It's okay, baby," Leah propped herself up on her elbow, reaching up to stroke his jaw as she smiled into his eyes, "You got to see her take her first steps…and she walked towards you and no one else."

Rick's mouth stretched into a smile as he remembered Emmie's first time walking –he had been helping her stand on her own a couple of feet from where he was, urging her to walk to him but she wouldn't budge…until Embry walked into the living room from the kitchen –she had shot across the floor like a little wind up toy and right into his waiting arms.

"She's talking and walking," Leah let out a soft sigh as she gave him a hopeful smile, "She looks for you when you're not here and lights up the moment she hears your voice. It's funny when I ask her where Daddy is –she'll look around the room then takes off looking for you all over the house. I followed her the other day and she was actually looking under the beds."

Rick let out a soft chuckle, reaching up to brush her hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ear, "She's definitely a Daddy's girl."

"They both are, Rick," Leah stroked her hand over his broad chest before placing a kiss over his beating heart, "It's just that Tyra's love is not multiplied the way Emmie's is."

Rick closed his eyes, letting out a long breath before he looked up at her, "Thank you…you always know what to say to make me feel better."

She smiled at him, her brown-green eyes studying his face for a couple of seconds before she bit her bottom lip, "Rick…'

He groaned, knowing already what she was going to ask, "Baby –give us some time. We put any more children into Gabe's room and CPS will come take them away from us."

"What if it's another girl?"

"The odds lean more towards the boys," Rick took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, "Look, I'm not saying no –I've learned my lesson…just…give me two –three years. I've been thinking we need to add to the house anyway. We can put in a two level staircase from the linen closet, over the furnace; add a second floor…two rooms and a bathroom."

"You've been thinking about it," Leah's eyes showed her surprise, his arms sliding down her back to place a hand on her hip, "Why?"

"Well, we have six kids and only two bedrooms for them and they all have to share one bathroom," Rick rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb, a deep growl building in his chest when she sucked his thumb into her mouth, "And I've seen the way you've been looking at Daisy."

Leah nipped his thumb before letting it go, tilting her head to the side, "What do you mean? What way have I been looking at Daisy?"

"With envy," Rick laughed at the look of surprise on her face, "It's obvious you want another baby."

"Well…" Leah bit her bottom lip, watching her finger as she traced her name over his beating heart, "I just…"

"Can I ask you something?"

The corner of her mouth quirked into a smile as she looked into his eyes, "Yes."

"Why so many kids, Lee? People already think we're insane for having six –hell, I think having six will drive us both insane."

Leah let out a soft breath, tenderness filling her at the way he used her nickname, something he normally didn't do, "Well…I was five when Seth was born. He was such a beautiful baby…I loved taking care of him."

She looked away from his eyes, her own becoming unfocused as she let her mind drift, "The hardest blow for me when I became a shape-shifter was realizing I was not going to be able to have any children…I went through eight years believing I was barren –a genetic dead end. I had never wanted anything more than to have my own family but because of what I was, that dream died along with so many others –it was the one that hurt the most."

"So you want a kid for every year you believed you couldn't have any," the amusement in Rick's voice snapped her back into the present, her eyes swinging over to his to catch the look of tenderness in them as he studied her face.

"Yes," Leah grinned as she lowered her upper body over his, the cotton sheet wedged between her breasts and his chest, "Unless fate decides to give us more –I won't begrudge a ninth or tenth baby."

Rick groaned at the idea of so many children inside their little house, "I think we should stop at eight…eight sounds like a good even number."

"Your mother had ten –"

"My mother was insane," Rick laughed as Leah let out a chuckle, shaking his head as his hand moved from her hip to squeeze her bottom, his other hand burying into her hair to pull her down for a kiss, "Apparently, so are you."

Leah's lips moved over his, their tongues exploring as she moved her leg higher, his cock hard against the inside of her thigh.

"_Zeus,_" Rick growled as he dipped his hand between her thighs, his fingers slipping into her, "If I were able to get you pregnant like this, we'd be on baby number thirteen."

Leah giggled, her mouth moving down his throat, her hands skimming his chest and stomach before she reached down to wrap her fingers around him, "With my condition, we wouldn't have any –you resurrected my dreams, Rick. You're the sole reason I'm a mother –I will never find a way to thank you for that."

Rick's mouth moved over her collarbone as he rolled her onto her back, his tongue sliding up her throat before he sucked on her bottom lip, "By being mine –always mine. You have no idea how much you amaze me –you have such a wonderful heart –such a beautiful soul…I want you –now."

Leah spread her legs open for him and as he moved over her a noise at their bedroom door caught their attention.

Rick groaned as he rested his forehead against Leah's shoulder, her fingers combing through his hair for a few seconds before he looked over his shoulder to see which of all their children had gotten up at the indecent hour of making love to his wife –Zakery Harold Laskaris.

"What are you doing up so early, _agoráki?"_

Zaky giggled before running up to the bed, grabbing on to the sheets to pull himself up as Rick rolled off of Leah, making sure the bed-sheet covered them.

Crawling up the bed between them, Zaky threw his arms around Leah's neck as he buzzed her cheek, "Mama!"

"Good morning baby," Leah pressed a kiss on his forehead as she wrapped her arms around his small body, settling her head on Rick's shoulder, "Did you sleep well in your big boy bed?"

Zaky nodded, resting his small head on her chest before closing his eyes.

Smiling, Rick reached up to stroke his son's dark hair, blue eyes swinging towards the opened bedroom door as Alyx and Andrey toddled in, "I have got to figure out how you two get out of your crib."

Alyx gave a naughty laugh as he and his brother tossed their rabbit up onto the bed before moving to Rick's side and lifting their arms to be picked up.

Moving his arm from under Leah's head, he took Alyx first, swinging him up to set him between him and Leah, Andrey joining seconds later, all three boys piling on their mother.

"I don't think this is fair," Leah said as she looked over at Rick –he had his space while she was sharing hers with three little squirmy boys.

"I suggested we stop at two," Rick shrugged with a smile as he stacked his hands under his head, making a big production out of having space to himself as Emmie ran into the room, Mou-Bear in her arms, "Daddy! Are you making chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast?"

Rick let out a soft groan as Emmie climbed up onto the bed to sit on his stomach, "Probably."

"I want blueberry pancakes," Emmie bounced a couple of times, laughing as he pulled her down into his arms, her giggles high as he tickled her sides, "No! Don't tickle me in the morning! I haven't gone to pee yet!"

Rick stopped immediately, Leah's laughter sweet to him as Gabe walked into the room and up to their bed, holding Tyra under her arms.

As soon as she saw Rick, she let out a squeal, her arms waving as she kicked her legs, "Da-e!"

"And the party is now complete," Rick sat up to take Tyra from Gabe, laughing as his oldest climbed over his legs to join the pile of little boys on Leah, "How did you like sleeping with your sister last night?"

Tyra reached up to pat his face, her fine baby hair creating a golden halo around her head as she bounced in his arms, "Da-e!"

Rick laughed, kissing her cheek before turning to kiss Emmie's, her blue eyes lighting up with joy as she squirmed to make space within the bunch of little boys lying between their parents, "Tyra slept good, Daddy. She doesn't cry so she didn't wake me up at all. It was fun to share with her."

"I'm glad," Rick turned on his side, propping his head on his fist as he smiled down at Leah, Tyra sitting on the bed with her small back against his stomach as she played with his fingers, "Three years, _agape mou_ –give me three years and I'll give you another one."

Leah's smile was bright, her beautiful brown-green eyes dancing as he leaned down to press a kiss against her lips, Emmie's hand patting Rick's chest, "Daddy, what are you giving mama in three years?"

"We're adding a puppy to the litter," Rick said, tongue in cheek, Leah's laughter making all six of their children giggle and laugh, Rick and Leah joining in as Emmie let out a squeal:

"We're getting a puppy!"


	30. Chapter 28

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Oh, wow, two chapters in two days! How did that happen? Inspiration, that's how. As y'all will see, the relationship of our favorite music stars has progressed!  
**

**Gaby -can't wait for your review! Please tell me if this chapter feels rushed 'cause I can actually rewrite it.  
**

**Inosolan -thank you for your reviews!  
**

**Ses -still missing you  
**

**Chelsea, Lette, DripDrop, Moani -you are all loved! Please keep reviewing! Enjoy as you read and review!**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**Together Again or Together At Last?  
**_September Edition_

_Amazing to say but we've been spotting Lian Young and July Star all over the city!_

_Just last week, they were having a romantic picnic in Central Park and as the picture's below show, there was much laughter and displays of affection that could make any cynic go 'aww.'_

_It seems these two are an item –they are seen having coffee at Ninth Street Espresso, shopping together at Bloomingdales, sharing ice cream at Cones._

_Wherever one is, the other seems to be there._

_Now, as surprising as this new evolving relationship may seem, many here vote they are the cutest couple in the music business._

_Of course, now we wonder –is this going to last?_

**CMA Awards –Lian Young Performing with July Star by his side!  
**_October Edition_

_Rumor has it Lian Young will be performing during the CMA Awards –but not alone!_

_With their video –You and Tequila –being nominated as music video of the year, it's no surprise Lian Young and July Star have been added to the list of performers during the awards show, which will be aired live next month._

_Of course, that's not all we've heard. Seems Young and Star have been working together as well as playing together –the next CD to be released will be a collection of songs written and sung by them or so word has it._

_Inside source states while they were in Arizona shooting their one and only video –for now –they stopped in Phoenix and took the time to record another duet –this time written by Young._

_Seems it's not only the best he's ever written but it's a heart tugger with the emotional combination of two amazing voices…_

**Young and Star Walk the CMA Red Carpet –Holding Hands!  
**_November Edition_

_The question many ladies are asking themselves –is Lian Young off the market for good?_

_He didn't show up alone to walk down the red carpet at the CMA Awards in Nashville –he showed up with July Star by his side –holding hands!_

_Despite not being part of the country music scene, July Star looked right at home in a beautiful Mac Duggal evening dress, the amethyst silk draped over her beautiful figure, the only skin showing being her slim arms and the delicate curve of her back. Even more beautiful was the bright smiles on their faces –there were many a times throughout the awards ceremony when Young would be whispering into Star's ear making her laugh._

_And even better –they held hands the entire time!_

_Now, we all know what interest us most is if they sang that new song of theirs? For those who didn't get to see the live awards show –not only did they sing their new song 'Give Into Me' but they had the entire audience in tears!_

* * *

_First Week of December  
6:35PM_

"Do you need help," Julie leaned against the bar, watching as Lian diced tomatoes before dumping them into a pot.

"No, I've got it under control;" Lian grinned at her as he finished with the tomatoes, putting in a couple of crushed garlic cloves, "Why don't you go put some music on?"

"Anything in particular," she pushed away from the bar, walking across the living room floor towards the impressive sound system on the entertainment center against one of the walls.

"Whatever gets your attention," Lian watched as she looked through his collection, swallowing back a groan when she bend down to look at the CDs on the bottom shelf –those tight jeans of hers made her ass look really good.

"You like jazz," she straightened, holding a CD up before opening the case, pulling out the disc as she picked up the remote, pressing the EJECT button to make sure there wasn't a CD in the port, "Dizzy Gillespie is one of my favorites."

"He's got amazing skill," Lian turned around to place the pot on the stove, adjusting the heat so it would simmer, "I've always enjoyed wind instruments, especially the saxophone –find its sound very sexy."

Julie laughed as she took the disc that had slid out of the port, her smile freezing as she looked at the black writing on the cover, "What is this?"

"Uhm," Lian dropped a fistful of pasta into the boiling water, tossing in a clove of garlic and a pinch of salt before placing the lid on the pot, "What is what?"

"This CD," she turned to look at him, holding up the shiny disc, her purple eyes wide as she watched him turn to look at her, "I made this as a Christmas present for someone."

"Yeah, I know," Lian wiped his hands on a dishtowel before placing it on the counter.

"Why do you have it," Julie took a shuddering breath as she worked hard to keep the feelings of betrayal at bay, "How did you get this?"

"Seth sent it to me," Lian placed his hands on the counter, trying to understand why she sounded so upset, "Asked me to give it to Jerry –he passed it on to Natalie who sent the scout to Posh to hear you sing."

"He…" Julie looked down at the CD, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat, "How do you know him?"

"How do I –" Lian's eyebrows lowered in surprise, "Julie, he's my cousin. Didn't he tell you he was going to send me your –"

"You," she interrupted him, her voice rising slightly as she tossed the CD aside, "You're the one who –all this time, you've…have you been laughing at me?"

"What," Lian moved around the bar towards her, stopping in the middle of his living room when she moved around the couch to keep space between them, "No. Julie –I thought you knew –"

"No," Julie shook her head, running her fingers through her long hair, rubbing her hand over her cheek, "He said nothing –he never told me…you never said –"

"I knew about you two," Lian watched her as she wiped tears from her cheek, his gut twisting as a sob escaped her, "I never said because I didn't think you'd –"

"You said…all those things you said about me –" she turned to look at him, her purple eyes bright as tears kept sliding down her cheeks, "What the hell is this? Some sort of competition between you two? Is that why you've –why we've been –you said…you s-said…you s-said you h-hated that he g-got to me f-first."

"Julie, please –"

"No," she shook her head, looking around blindly before taking her jacket from the back of the armchair where she had placed it, "No. You've…he…no."

He watched her turn the knob of his front door, the plea squeezing past the knot in his throat, "Please…please don't go."

She stopped, holding the opened door in her hand, her shoulders shaking as she dropped her head until her forehead touched the door frame.

"I honestly…had no idea…you didn't know," Lian's breathing was slightly labored as he fought back the tears that were building behind his stinging eyes, "Everything I said...what I didn't say…I was an idiot…a jealous idiot wanting what wasn't mine…"

Julie sucked in a sob, her hand tightening around the door, "So that's all this is about…taking Seth's leftovers?"

"Don't…don't you –you're not leftovers…dammit, Julie!"

He shoved his fingers through his hair, gripping the back of his neck, "I love you…I fell for you the very first time I heard your voice…when I listened to you sing…the emotion…the depth of your lyrics…"

She closed her eyes, her chest hurting with every sob that ripped out of her throat, her heart beating fast as he kept talking, "Julie, please…please don't walk out on me…don't…don't do this –not to us."

The fear inside her seemed to swell and pulse with every second that passed yet it didn't keep his words from filling the hollowness inside her.

He watched as she slowly closed the door, her fingers splayed against the wood as her jacket slipped from her hand to fall onto the floor.

Slowly moving across the floor, he stopped a foot away from her, his hand shaking as he reached out to take her hand in his, "I know it's frightening, Julie…I'm scared to death –because without you…I have nothing. You've…you've become everything…without even trying, you've become everything to me."

Her fingers tightened around his, letting him pull her into his arms, his head bowing down to press a kiss against her lips.

Reaching up with her free hand, she buried her fingers into his hair, her mouth opening under his as he wrapped his arms around her, his hands flat against her back.

Sucking her bottom lip, he pressed kisses along her jaw, whispering his love after each one.

Neither knew how it happened but they were in his bedroom, the kiss deep and hot, his hands moving over her body as she pressed her body against his.

Sucking the delicate skin behind her ear, he pulled the hem of her shirt up as she moved her arms over her head, his hands sliding down her arms as soon as he tossed the top aside.

He tugged at her earlobe, his hands moving down her bare back, her hands sliding under his t-shirt, fingers tripping over the ridges of his abdominal muscles.

Pulling back to look down at her, he sucked in a breath at the soft swells of her breasts covered by a pale pink lace bra.

Tracing his fingers along the edge of the lace, he moved his nose across her jaw as she dragged her fingers up his back.

The sharp high pitched fire alarm went off, Lian letting out a sharp breath as he recalled the tomato sauce and pasta he had left on the stove, "I gotta go take –I'll be right back."

She nodded, watching him run out of the room as she bit down on her bottom lip, dropping onto the edge of the bed.

Leaning forward, she dropped her elbows onto her thighs, burying her fingers into her hair.

Dear God –he loved her…he said he loved her, that she was everything to him…was it possible he could love her completely, irrevocably –she was going to have to tell him –and she was going to do it soon because…because she was running out of time –but that wasn't the only thing…he loved her –he said she was everything…she was his and he said he loved her which meant he was hers…all she had to do was…oh God, all she had to do was tell him the truth because she already loved him.

* * *

_Get a grip on yourself, Young. You've done this before –you love her for God's sake!_

Lian dumped the pots into the burnt sink, taking a deep breath as he gripped the edges of the counter, his head hanging between his hunched shoulders –

It's not like he hadn't noticed she hadn't responded in kind when he'd told her he loved her.

And that was what had him scared to death –it had been so long since he'd put his heart on the line like this…but this time it was different –so different because if this…if she…

Pushing himself away from the counter, he ran his fingers through his hair, fisting his hands and pulling hard enough to cause pain.

Dropping his hands to his sides, he took in a breath, mentally chiding himself –she may not love him the way he loved her but he knew –_he knew _–she had feelings for him…and he was going to do everything to have her fall for him –even if it meant not going through with this if she changed her mind.

Taking in another deep breath, he moved around the bar towards the hallway that lead to his bedroom, taking in another breath before walking into the room where she was waiting.

* * *

Julie looked up, her eyes wide as he slowly approached the bed where she sat cross-legged, still in her jeans and bra, her shoes beside the bed.

Reaching the edge, he stood still, their eyes locked on each other as she slowly got on her knees to move across the bed towards him, her fingers sliding down his forearms to interlock with his.

Staring at each other as seconds ticked by, he rubbed his thumbs against the pulse that beat at her wrists.

Realizing she needed to make the first move, she tilted her head back and pressed her lips against his, the tip of her tongue touching his bottom lip for a brief second before his tongue moved over hers, the kiss deepening in seconds.

His hands moved over her body, her fingers tracing his muscles –his shirt hit the floor as he kicked his shoes off, following her onto the bed as she moved back.

His mouth touched her skin, her body bowed into his –he moved his hands down her hips, dragging her jeans down her long legs, pressing a line of kisses down one leg, then up the other after he tossed the jeans to the side.

She groaned softly at the way his hands felt against her skin, the calluses on his fingertips causing a trail of goosebumps to break out, the slick feel of his mouth on her skin causing her body temperature to increase.

It wasn't awkward or strange –their bodies moved together in perfect accordance, their breathing harsh as they melded together to become one body…one soul.

* * *

_2:02AM_  
Julie let out a soft breath, her fingers slowly combing through his hair, his head resting on her stomach, his arms wrapped around her hips.

The silence was comfortable…a moment of sacred beauty shared in unity.

A rumbling noise from her stomach had Lian chuckling as he looked up at her face, catching the look of embarrassment on her face, "I promised to feed you, didn't I?"

Her lips spread into a smile as she let out a soft laugh, "You did."

"How about we order pizza," Lian reached over her to pick up his cell phone, scrolling down until he found the number for his favorite pizza parlor –Lombardi's, "Here, go ahead and order –you know what I like."

Julie smiled as she took the phone from him as they answered at the other end of the line, "Lombardi's, how may I help you?"

"I'd like to put in an order for a delivery."

Lian pressed a kiss against her hip, his fingers moving over her thighs to trace the curve of her bottom, Julie's voice hitching slightly as his fingers moved between her thighs.

"Yes, please," she let out a soft moan as Lian licked a path between her breasts, his nose brushing the curve of one breast before closing his mouth over a nipple, "Ex-extra ch-cheese and…oh, God…I'm sorry, I-I stubbed my toe –yes, I'm f-fine…yes, please, yes."

Lian chuckled as he moved his mouth over her chest and up her throat, his hand between her thighs causing her to let out another moan that she tried to stifle with her hand.

Taking the phone from her, he gave the operator on the other line his address before flipping the phone off, tossing the phone onto the bedside table as he closed his mouth over hers, her fingers digging into his back as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her moans increasing with every touch of his hands, every kiss of his mouth –his tongue drawing patterns over her shoulders, her collarbones, leaving tiny little love bites behind.

By the time the delivery guy arrived with their pizza, they were both sated, their breathing finally under control as their hearts beat a slow synchronized rhythm.

Leaving her in bed with a kiss, he pulled on his jeans before taking his wallet, opening the front door and paying the guy as he took the pizza box from him, making sure the door was locked before he returned to the bedroom, smiling at the sight of Julie –his Julie –sitting up in the middle of the bed with nothing but the bed-sheet wrapped around her.

She watched him as he stared at her, tilting her head sideways as her long tangled hair tumbled over her shoulder, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he gave her a soft smile as he moved to sit cross-legged on the bed across from her, the pizza box placed between them, "Seeing you like this –it just awed me."

Her smile was shy as she opened the box, her face flushing slightly when he kept staring at her as she took a slice of pizza from the hot pie, "I'm not going to be able to eat if you keep staring at me like that."

Lian laughed, leaning over the box to kiss her bottom lip, "I definitely wouldn't want that –you need to eat for energy."

"Mhm," Julie chuckled, taking a bite of her pizza as he took a slice of his own, "You've got something in mind to use up that energy?"

"Do I ever," he gave her a roguish smile, reaching across the space separating them to hook a single finger into the edge of the sheet, giving it a slight tug to reveal the top curves of her breasts, "And I think you're going to like it."

* * *

_9:45AM_

Julie let out a soft sigh as she stretched, her muscles pleasantly sore after the night's activities.

Opening her eyes, she stretched her arms over her head as she looked over to Lian's side of the bed just to find it empty.

Pushing herself to a sitting position, she leaned against the headboard of the bed, tucking the bed-sheet under her arms as she wondered where Lian was –the silence was just a little too absolute.

He couldn't have left –she was in his bed, his room, his apartment –so where was he?

Biting her lip, she studied her hands as she pushed back her cuticles, eyes swinging towards the door as a slight sound caught her attention, her lips spreading into a smile as he walked in with a tray –he had made her breakfast and was bringing it to her in bed.

Setting the tray over her lap, he sat on the side of the bed, reaching up to tuck a curl of her hair behind her ear before tilting her chin up so he could kiss her swollen lips, "Good morning beautiful."

Julie smiled against his lips, reaching up to stroke her long fingers across his jaw as she opened her mouth, softly sucking his tongue as soon as he slipped pass her lips.

A soft moan escaped her as he pulled back, her index finger touching his bottom lip briefly before she looked down at the tray.

Blinking, she picked up the purple iris sitting next to a plate of pancakes, the color deep and beautiful with a bright yellow center, "How did you know?"

"They remind me of your eyes," Lian ran his fingers down her arm, smiling as she lifted the bloom to her nose; "They're your favorite flower, right?"

"Yes," she smiled as she gently placed the flower back on the tray, "Thank you…would you like to share my pancakes with me?"

"Why else would I make four?"

* * *

_Tacoma, Washington  
First Week of February_

"How was Christmas in Australia?"

Lyn stirred the batter as she looked over at the laptop screen where she was video chatting with Julie, laughing at the way her sister's eyes danced, "It was amazing! Lyn, he's got a huge ranch –and the house is beautiful, with six bedrooms and three bathrooms. It was all decorated and ready for the holidays when we got there."

"What's the nightlife like," Lyn chuckled at the way Julie's face flushed as she tapped the whisk on the side of the bowl before setting it aside, the muffin tray ready for her to start scooping into them, "Did you even go out?"

"We went dancing for New Year's Eve," Julie bit her lip, her eyes bright as she leaned onto the desk, moving her closer to the webcam, "But mostly we spent it on the ranch –sledding, horse riding –"

"Love making?"

Julie giggled, the rose coloring her high cheekbones as she bit her bottom lip, "Lots of it. He's…he's amazing, Lyn."

"You love him," Lyn set the bowl on the table, her lips spreading into a grin, "Oh my God, Julie! You found him!"

Julie laughed as she tucked her hair behind her ear, shyly nodding her head, "I have…but I haven't told him the truth…about my being a –"

The sound of a lock opening had Julie's head snap up, her face lighting up as she ran out of view, Lyn chuckling at the sound of Lian letting out a grunt –he had obviously caught all of Julie's weight.

"What are you doing, baby?"

"Talking to my sister."

The sound of kissing had Lyn feel slightly uncomfortable –even though she couldn't see them because they were out of the webcam's view, it still felt like voyeurism.

Lyn finished filling out the muffin tray, looking up just as the video spun before it settled on Lian and Julie –he was sitting on one of the bar stools, Julie straddling him with her arms around his neck, "Hey Lyn. Julie tells me you're graduating med school in May."

"Yep," Lyn nodded, washing her hands then drying them on a kitchen towel, "I'm sending tickets to her –will you come?"

"Of course," Lian grinned as he wrapped his arms around Julie's waist, a hand lowering to her bottom to hoist her up higher on his lap, "Where Julie goes, I go."

"Well, ain't that cute," Lyn laughed, opening the oven door to slide the tray in before looking at the screen, "Seth's going to be there."

Julie didn't say anything, simply looking at Lian as he kept his eyes on the screen, "That's fine by us. Seth's got his girl and I have mine."

Lyn watched with amusement as Julie kissed Lian, his surprise evident before he kissed her back.

Moving her fingers over the keyboard, she quickly typed in several codes, a flash catching their attention as Julie pulled back to look at the screen, "What was that?"

"The webcam," Lyn grinned at her as she motioned with her hands, "I got a picture of that kiss –I'm going to print it, frame it and give it to mom for her birthday –she's gonna love it!"

"You hacked into my computer?"

"Yep," Lyn grinned, her head snapping up as the front door to her apartment opened, "My husband's home! Firecracker, keep an eye on the mailbox by the end of next week. Oh, and you both be ready to party."

"Will do," Julie and Lian replied simultaneously, all three laughing before the video chat cut off.

Letting out a soft sigh, Julie smiled down at Lian, running her fingers through his hair, "How as your meeting with Natalie?"

"She had a proposition for us," Lian leaned forward to kiss the side of her neck, smiling at the giggles that escaped her, "Wanted to offer us a new contract –as a duo."

"Oh," Julie pulled back to look into his dark brown eyes, nibbling her bottom lip, "How is that going to work? I mean, we've got a good combination with the band and everything but…you sing country…I sing jazz."

"We can call it jazztry," he waggled his eyebrows at her, grinning as she laughed, her fingers linking behind his neck as he kneaded his fingers into her hips, "Just think about it –I think it'll be a good venture but if you're not comfortable with it, that's fine."

Julie smiled, leaning down to kiss him, her teeth tugging his bottom lip before giving it a light nip.

"I got it," Lian gripped her bottom as he stood up, moving across the living room down the hall into her bedroom, "We'll talk about it later…Firecracker."

Julie laughed as Lian lowered her onto the bed, his mouth moving down her neck as he dragged her shirt over her head.

"Now, see, through personal experience, I can understand the nickname," Lian undid the front clasp of her bra, sliding his hand under one cup to cover her breast, the nipple hard against his palm, "But why does your sister call you that?"

"You mean, aside from my name?"

Julie groaned as her head fell back, his mouth sucking hard at her other nipple as the straps of her bra slid down her arms, "I used to have a temper…w-when I was a...a teenager…a-and I w-would just ex-explode…but that was be-because of…of the drugs…and the booze…"

"Right," Lian pulled down the zipper of her jeans as she sat forward to reach for the snap on his jeans, "You were a wild child –you still got some of that in you?"

Julie looked into his dark eyes for a few seconds before grabbing him by his hair and pulling him down, her mouth hard against his.

Her reaction to his question lit his own desire; hands groped each other as clothes were ripped off.

Heavy breathing, bodies' slick with perspiration and just as Lian lifted her hips to bury himself in her, he realized, "Fuck! I forgot to bring a condom."

"I don't care," Julie wrapped her legs around his hips, her fingernails leaving welts across his back as he covered her mouth in a lustful kiss, his words a growl from deep inside his chest, "Neither do I."

* * *

_Next Morning  
10:45AM_

"How can I be of service, Mr. Young?"

Lian sat down, settling his foot on his opposite knee as he looked across the desk at the bank manager with a smile, "I'd like to open a trust fund –I've already got a bank account here."

"We can certainly do that," he clicked his mouse a few times, pulling up the information he needed, "What amount are you interested in putting into this trust fund?"

"Half of my checking account as well as my savings."

"I see," he nodded, his daily work with money keeping him from showing any surprise –Mr. Young had quite an extensive portfolio, "Who will your beneficiary be?"

"Equally divided between any children I might have in the future."

He nodded, clicking a few more times before moving his fingers over the keyboard, "You have a trustee in mind?"

Lian gave a nod, his smile relaxed as he looked at the bank manager, "July Star Nelson."


	31. Chapter 29

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Oh my goodness! Another update so soon! Y'all know these aren't free, right? I expect lots of reviews...basically, if you read, leave a review even if it's just to say 'good chapter'  
**

**Gaby -the whole thing at the end changed...there will be no slapping. Love you!**

**Moani, Chelsea, Lette, Inosolan -you are all awesome for leaving me reviews! Thank you and I love you!  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and please review.  
**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine  
**_March 22__nd__  
New York City_

The swell of the audience's cheers and applause died down as Ellen DeGeneres moved towards the sitting area in the stage, waving a hand over her head, "Thank you. It's always good to be here in New York –I love this city."

Sitting down in her armchair, she gave the audience and cameras her big smile, "We have some special guests today –I've interviewed them separately before but this time…they're here together. Everyone welcome –Lian Young and July Star!"

The applause was loud, almost thunderous as they walked in from backstage, holding hands, both of them giving the audience a wave as they moved towards the loveseat catty-corner from Ellen's chair.

"It's so good to have you two here," Ellen stood up, hugging Julie then Lian before all three sat down, "It's been about a year since either of you have been on my show."

"Fourteen months, seven weeks, three days and sixteen hours," Lian's smile was big as he settled his arm across the back of the couch, his hand resting on Julie's shoulder, "Too long since I've seen you, Ellen."

Ellen laughed, Julie chuckling along with her as she crossed her long legs which looked amazing in shiny black skinny jeans, "It's so sweet you've been counting the passing time."

"Of course," Lian lifted his right foot to rest his ankle on his knee as he looked over at Julie with a teasing smile, "How long has it been for you?"

The audience laughed, Ellen shaking her head as Julie's face flushed, her eyes swinging over to their host, "Too long. How have you been, Ellen?"

"Wonderful," Ellen leaned into the arm of the couch, "It's been ten years –did you see the celebration episode?"

"We did," Julie grinned as she looked at Lian before turning her smile to Ellen, "We made a real production of it –popped popcorn and all."

"I wonder about the all," Ellen said with a chuckle that escalated into a laugh as Julie turned her head to bury her face into Lian's shoulder, his hand moving from her shoulder to the back of her head, "Now, it hasn't been made official but everyone's wondering if you two are a couple so I'm thinking –since we're great friends and among great friends –you can announce it here in my show. How about it?"

Lian and Julie laughed as he slid his hand down her arm, cupping her elbow as he took one of her hands in his other one, "You mean we haven't been obvious enough?"

Julie bumped his side with her shoulder, placing her hand over their joined ones resting on her lap, "In all honesty, Ellen, he hasn't even asked."

"Oh, so I'm supposed to do the asking," Lian arched an eyebrow, watching her purple eyes dance as she laughed, "You could ask me, you know."

Julie's hair tumbled over her shoulder as she threw her head back in laughter, Ellen watching them both with a big smile, "Okay, I see where this is going. Neither one of you is going to say it out loud so I'm going to ask questions and I expect honest answers."

"Yikes," Julie cringed, shifting slightly so she could lean back into Lian's chest, "This could get us in trouble."

Lian's laughter vibrated against her back as Ellen moved to lean back into the couch, "Okay, first relationship question –do you let her drive your car?"

"Are you kidding me," Lian laughed as he let go of her hand to squeeze her knee, "My car's a classic –I don't let anybody drive it."

Julie hit his chest with the back of her hand, "He won't even let me turn on the radio."

"Okay, that's for completely different reasons," Lian reached up to tuck a long red-brown curl behind her ear with the hand on her shoulder, "But in all seriousness –July doesn't have a car here and I've never seen her license…I don't even know if she can drive."

Julie's shoulders shook as she laughed, tilting her head back to look at him, "So if I show you my license, you'll let me drive?"

She could read the apprehension in his eyes, her smile growing at the way he let slip one of the many hints concerning their relationship status in his response, "Baby, it's a 1966 Thunderbird Ford –I wouldn't let my mother drive it."

Ellen laughed, crossing her legs as she waited for the audience to calm down, "Okay, so now let's move on to question number two –do you have keys to each others' place?"

"Keys," Lian laughed as he lifted off the seat to dig into the pocket of his jeans, "Well, let's see…there's this key –is this it?"

Julie looked at the key he held up, laughing as she took his keys from him, "No!"

"Oops," Lian gave a dramatic wince, chuckling as Julie turned her nose up at him, setting his keys on the small table beside the couch, "My bad."

Ellen laughed, shaking her head as she leaned forward, resting her forearm on her thigh, "Tsk, tsk, Lian. Okay, let's see if I can get a straight answer out of this one –are you two working on a duo CD?"

"Actually, we are," Lian grinned, his hand back on Julie's knee, his fingers stroking the inside seam of her jeans, "We've drawn up a new contract with our label and…it's been an interesting ride."

"It's been difficult, really," Julie reached up to swipe a wisp of hair out of her face, "We merged our bands together to create a third band –it's been hard to work on our own individual projects along with this one but we're managing pretty well, I think."

"We are."

"One of your guitarists has been missing for quite a bit," Ellen pointed at Julie, tilting her head to the side, "Didn't you two have something going on?"

"That was just a rumor based on nothing," Julie's smile was small, Lian pulling her in as close as possible without moving her into his lap, "He's –he found another band to play with and…our new guitarist is fitting in quite nicely."

"Wasn't he your guitarist," she pointed at Lian, smiling as he nodded, noticing how he gave Julie a look filled with tenderness before looking at her, "Yes, he was. Mitch is amazingly talented but he very much prefers July's music genre over my own –no hard feelings."

"With this new CD you two are working on," Ellen set her elbow on the armchair to rest her chin on her fist, "It's a whole new style of music –how are you working that out?"

"It's been a musical challenge, for sure," Lian stretched out his legs, shifting to get comfortable, "But we're both willing to work hard at it –and this woman is amazing when it comes to music."

"Oh, shut up," Julie elbowed him in the stomach, her nose wrinkling slightly before looking at Ellen, "Lian's actually very versatile –he's been doing very well in compromising to somehow meld my jazz with his country."

Lian's mouth tilted into a one-sided smile, "We're calling it jazztry."

The audience laughed, Julie shaking her head as Ellen got that look on her face, "Why not counazz? Or cojazz?"

Julie buried her face into her hands, her shoulders shaking as Lian shook his head, his laughter deep, "You're kidding, right? Oh, God, that would get us parental advised for sure."

Ellen laughed, several seconds passing before the audience quieted down, "Right, right. Jazztry it is. Now, Julie, I believe your sister's graduating this year, right?"

Julie took a breath, brushing her hair back as she nodded with a proud smile, "Yes, she is. Graduating top of her class from medical school –she and her husband are going to be doing their internship in one of Seattle's top hospitals."

"Oh, wow," Ellen nodded as she uncrossed her legs, shifting in her seat, "Your baby sister married and ready to become a doctor. Does that make you feel old?"

Julie couldn't hold back the burst of laughter, uncrossing her legs to shift in her seat, her hand staying on Lian's thigh, "Well, I'm two years away from hitting the three-o…sometimes it feels like it's too close and then at others like it'll never get me. Know what I mean?"

"I sure do," Ellen leaned into the corner of the armchair as she tucked her feet under her, "You two are the same age, right?"

"Just about," Lian ran his fingers up and down Julie's arm, "She's a week older than me, actually –it's all good, though, 'cause older women know how to live it up."

Julie laughed, bumping her shoulder into his side, "Oh, please –on my part, it's exhausting being around younger people."

"Good thing it's just a week, uh," Ellen teased, laughing as they both nodded with smiles, "Okay, time's almost up but I still have one more question."

"O-kay," the word dragged out as Julie bit her lip before smiling, reaching to take Lian's hand, their fingers lacing together.

"This one's a truth or dare question," Ellen wagged her eyebrows as Lian and Julie winced simultaneously, "Whichever you pick, you have to do. Deal?"

"Oh, sheesh," Julie chuckled as she gave Lian a look before looking at Ellen, "This kind of scares me."

"Come on," Ellen opened her arms as she teased them, "Live a little."

"Well…" she bit her lip as Lian leaned in to whisper something into her ear, a giggle escaping her before she gave Ellen a nod, looking up at him, "Alright then…you pick."

Lian laughed as he looked at Ellen, "We pick dare."

Ellen laughed as she leaned back into her chair, the audience cheering and applauding loudly.

Nodding as she leaned forward, she pointed at them, "Okay, then, here's your dare. You two have to kiss for no less than ten seconds."

Lian and Julie laughed, the blush stealing across her high cheekbones as Ellen raised her eyebrows, "Well…"

"No less than ten seconds, right," Lian gave Ellen and the audience a wink before looking into Julie's eyes, reaching up to lift her chin, his thumb moving over her bottom lip before he dipped his head, his lips brushing over hers lightly before settling in place.

As soon as his mouth touched hers, Julie completely forgot everything and everyone, her hand reaching up to curve around the side of his neck as she opened her lips, his tongue moving over hers.

They both lost track of time, finally pulling apart as the cheers and yells from the audience increased, Ellen laughing as Julie's face lit up bright, "That answered our question! Well, thank you both for joining me –I really hope to see you two again."

"Thank you for having us here," Julie and Lian answered in unison, the audience clapping as the green light turned red, letting them know the cameras had stopped running.

Ellen leaned forward to give Julie's knee a pat, "You two make a cute couple."

Julie laughed, reaching up with both hands to tuck her hair behind her ear, "I can't believe you had us kiss on live television."

Ellen chuckled as they stood up, Lian's arm around her waist as Ellen asked with a smile, "Is he a good kisser?"

Julie laughed as the stage technicians came onto the stage to help them remove their microphones, "Oh, yes…very good."

* * *

_April 14__th__  
La Push, Washington_

"Good morning, baby. Look at you, wide awake," Rick reached into the crib, lifting Tyra into his arms, "Are you excited about your birthday party?"

"Ca-e," the word came out high as she blinked big brown-green eyes at him, her sandy blond hair a halo of curls around her small face, "Ca-e."

"Your Aunt Emily's making the cake," he walked out of the bedroom, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Emmie –not that it mattered being his five year old slept too deeply for anything to wake her up, "And Granma is bringing ice cream."

"I-cre," Tyra gave him a hopeful look as he walked into the kitchen, her eyes moving around the room in search for the ice cream, "Eat."

"We'll get to eat ice cream and cake for your birthday party," Rick sat her on the high chair, grinning as she lifted her arms up for him to lock the tray in place, "How old are you today, Tyra?"

She tilted her head to the side, patting her little hands against the tray, her eyes watching him as he began making breakfast –it was part of his morning routine while Leah's involved getting the older ones ready for school.

"Can you show Daddy how old you are," Rick moved to the refrigerator to take out what he needed for waffles, looking over his shoulder to watch as his baby girl held up two tiny fingers, her giggles sweet as he moved to kiss her forehead, "That's right! You're two years old, _koritsaki._ You're a big girl now."

Tyra shook her head as she sucked on her finger, letting out a joyful squeal when he placed a handful of blueberries on her tray, "Eat. Eat."

"I'll make your waffle first," Rick set everything on the counter, pulling down the kids' plates as he looked at the clock over the stove, "Your mama's going to be getting Gabe and Emmie ready for school soon."

"Za," she looked up at him as she took a small handful of blueberries and stuffed them into her mouth, the juice staining her hand, lips and cheeks.

"She'll get Zaky up after Gabe and Emmie go to school," he set the whisk aside, taking a ladle to pour the batter into the hot waffle griddle, "Zaky's going to school this year. Isn't that great?"

She shook her head at him, kicking her bare feet as she chewed another handful of berries, a purple smudge on her button nose, "Za. Za."

"You'll miss him, I know," he chuckled as she nodded, cutting the waffle into bite size pieces, making sure they weren't too hot before placing them on her tray, watching her attack them with gusto as she nodded again, "But at least you'll still have Alyx and Andrey to keep you company."

"Ba Aly," she frowned up at him, her dark blond eyebrows lowering as she scrunched up her nose, looking over the side of her chair, resuming her breakfast once she was satisfied Alyx wasn't around to tickle her feet –he thought it was funny because she didn't like it.

Rick chuckled as he popped out the waffle and placed it on a plate, pouring batter for the next one, "He drives you crazy, uh?"

Tyra nodded as she finished the last of her waffle pieces, taking the sippy cup of milk Rick had set in the tray's cup holder, "Aty."

"The party's going to be after your brother and sister get home from school," he placed the plates on the table, able to hear Leah getting Gabe out of bed, Emmie chattering as she got herself ready –it was always the same thing every school day, Emmie up early and eager to go while Leah had to coax Gabe out of bed for a good five minutes, "Looks like the day's ready to start,_ glikia mou_."

Tyra's eyes widened as she missed the cup holder, leaning over to watch her cup clatter to the floor as the twins toddled into the kitchen, dragging their rabbit along the floor by its long ears.

Wiggling in her seat, she turned to look at her brothers as they chattered to each other in their own twin language, lifting her feet as soon as Alyx looked up at her.

His naughty laugh had her trying to tuck her feet out of reach but Alyx still got to them, his little fingers tugging at her toes as she screeched, "No Aly! Ba Aly! Da-e!"

"Alyx," Rick looked at his son, lifting an eyebrow in a quiet demand for him to leave his sister alone, "She doesn't like you doing that."

With an impish smile, he gave Tyra's toe one last tug, dropping his rabbit's ear to run to Leah as she walked into the kitchen with Zaky in her arms.

Rick popped the waffle out of the griddle and onto a plate before moving across the kitchen, Tyra's cries dying down as soon as she saw Zaky.

Pulling Alyx off Leah's legs -his little hands frantically clutching at them -he lifted him up into his arms, small back to broad chest, "I told you not to do it but you did it anyway so you and I are going to have a talk."

"No," Alyx screeched, kicking his feet as Rick moved around Leah, giving her a kiss and a good morning before heading down the hall, Emmie stopping on her way to the kitchen to look up at them, "What did he do?"

"There's no reason for you to know," he tweaked her nose, Gabe ducking a flying foot as he skirted around him towards the kitchen, "Go eat your breakfast."

"But I want to know what he do."

"Emerie," Rick stopped to give her _the look_, "You're a child, not an adult –you may want to know but you don't need too. Now go eat your breakfast."

Emmie's mouth twisted as she fought back her natural curiosity, rubbing the toe of her shoe against the wooden floor as he headed towards the boys' room, her whisper not as quiet as she thought, "Mou would tell me."

"Emerie Rachel Laskaris."

"I'm going," she ran to the kitchen, not wanting to have Daddy give her _a talk_, the butterfly backpack bouncing against her small back.

And so began another day in the Laskaris household.

* * *

_First Week of May_

"Why would the first grade teacher want to speak to us when there's only one more week of school left," Leah looked up at Rick, her hand in his as they made their way down the hallway towards Emerie's first grade classroom, students having been released for the day already.

"I'm sure she'll explain when we get there," Rick gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, his mouth spreading into a smile as Leah kept talking as if he hadn't spoken out loud, "She loves school –granted, it was mentioned at the last teacher-parent conference that she tended to talk but she's enthusiastic and curious. She does all her homework –even homework the teacher doesn't give her. She's a perfect student, why would they want to meet with us?"

"I'm sure it's not to tell us they're kicking her out of school," Rick teased as they reached the first grade classroom, reaching to turn the doorknob as he gave her an arched look, "Let the teacher talk."

Leah lowered her eyebrows as her bottom lip poked out in a pout, her brown-green eyes dancing with amusement, "What are you trying to say?"

"That Emmie's need to constantly vocalize doesn't come from me," Rick dropped a kiss on her open mouth, opening the door before she could respond, his smile growing at the sight of his daughter sitting at her desk, talking a mile a minute at her teacher as she colored on a piece of paper.

Rick's smile turned polite as the first grade teacher stood up, her eyes wide as she blatantly looked him over, Leah's amusement evident in her voice as she spoke up, "You haven't met my husband, have you, Miss Romo?"

She cleared her throat, reaching up to push back her dark hair, "No –I'm Emerie's first grade teacher, Georgiana Romo."

He briefly shook her hand, catching movement from the corner of his eye, looking over at his daughter and responding to her frantic wave –she had learned to not talk when the adults were talking…that had been a hard lesson to teach.

She moved around her desk, gesturing towards the chairs around the table where Emmie sat, "I'm sorry I don't have more comfortable chairs for you to sit in, Mr. Laskaris."

"I'm fine," Rick pulled out one of the kid sized chairs, swallowing back a chuckle as Leah sat down, the dress she wore riding up her toned thighs as she wrapper her arms around her drawn up knees, "These chairs are just perfect, as a matter of fact."

Leah pinched his thigh as she looked up at him, seeing where his eyes were currently focused –the man had no shame, "Will you sit down?"

Pulling out another chair, he set it beside her, Emmie getting out of her chair and climbing onto his lap as soon as he sat down.

Leah could feel the heat climbing up her back as Miss Romo continued to stare at her husband, his hand in hers keeping her calm –normally, she found it amusing the way other women gawked at her husband but this was starting to get ridiculous –the woman had still to look at her, "I know my husband's lovely to look at but perhaps you can tell us why you asked for this meeting?"

Rick looked down at his daughter to hide his amusement as Miss Romo cleared her throat, shifting in the small chair she sat in, "I'm sorry…I asked you to come to discuss Emerie's learning capabilities."

"What's wrong with her capabilities," Leah arched an eyebrow, her brown-green eyes hard as she stared at this woman who had the audacity to question her daughter's intelligence after drooling all over her husband.

"It's not that there's something wrong with her capabilities," Miss Romo bit her bottom lip as she knotted her fingers, her hands resting on her thighs –she liked Mrs. Laskaris, considered her one of the sweetest moms she had but right now…the woman was scaring the crap out of her, "It's that I honestly feel she would benefit from a higher learning level."

"What exactly do you mean by higher learning level," Rick spoke up, able to see his wife was just about ready to bite the poor girl's head off.

"I've discussed this with the principal as well as school counselor and they agree Emerie would benefit, intellectually as well as psychologically, if we were to place her in third grade next year."

"You want to skip her a year," Leah's surprise was evident in her voice as she looked at Rick with a touch of concern in her eyes, "She's…she's so small –don't they need to have learned their additions and subtractions by third grade? That's something taught in second grade, if I recall."

Miss Romo smiled before looking at her student, "Emerie, what's nine plus five?"

Emmie looked at her for a few seconds, "Fourteen."

"You have fifteen lollipops and two friends –how many do each of you get?"

"Me too," she pointed at her small chest, answering a few seconds after Miss Romo nodded, "We each get five lollipops."

"If you have twenty lollipops and you give eight away, how many do you have left?"

This time, she tilted her small head back to look at the ceiling before looking at her teacher, the white ribbon that held her hair in a ponytail fluttering against her cheek, "I have twelve lollipops left."

"I have a pie and I cut it into eight pieces and give you two –what fraction of the pie do you now have?"

This time, it took a whole minute before she straightened her back, giving a slight hop on Rick's lap along with her answer, "I have one fourth of the pie."

"Oh my God," Leah stared at her daughter with amazement, blinking as Miss Romo asked her another question, "How many continents do we have?"

Emmie ticked them off on her small fingers, the difficult words broken into syllables, "North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Aus-tra-lia, An-tarc-tica and Europe –we have seven con-ti-nents."

"My baby's a genius," Leah's smile grew as she looked at her husband, "She's got your brains, Rick!"

"My brains," Rick scoffed as he looked away from Emmie, feeling just as awed as Leah, "What she has is Embry teaching her things way beyond her abilities."

"That's the thing," Miss Romo interrupted them, feeling much more comfortable now that she was focused on getting them to understand the gifted child that was their daughter, "Most children her age don't have the ability to learn or understand these things –memorize them, yes, but Emerie actually understands –Emerie, tell me what you need to make a sentence."

Emmie looked at her mother then up at her father, obvious indecision expressed on her small face melting into a smile as Rick gently urged her, "Go on, Emmie. Tell Miss Romo what you need to make a sentence."

"I need a subject and a pre-di-cate."

"Can you give me a sentence with both," Rick's hand was warm and steady against her small back, his smile encouraging as she thought for a minute or two before giving them a big smile, "The girl laughed. 'The girl' is the subject and 'laughed' is the pre-di-cate…it's also called a verb."

Leah's hand covered her mouth as she blinked to keep herself from crying –it was a tumultuous storm of emotions inside her that she was doing her best to control.

Emmie looked up at her father, blue eyes wide and serious, _"Mí̱po̱s káno̱ mamá lypi̱ménos?"_ ***Did I make mama sad?***

Rick cupped her small face in his hand, his thumb stroking over her round cheek, "_Óchi, mo̱ró korítsi , af̱tí̱ eínai akrivó̱s tóso perí̱fani̱ gia séna pou den boreí na to kratí̱sei mesa."_ ***No, baby girl, she's just so proud of you she can't hold it in.***

Emmie's rosebud mouth spread into a big smile as she looked at her mother, scrambling off Rick's lap to get into her arms, "I'm gonna be very smart, mama, and make you proud."

Leah pressed a kiss against her small forehead, hugging her tight, "You already are, sweetie."

Miss Romo smiled at the beautiful picture they made, Emmie cuddled in her mother's arms while her father kept his own arm around his wife's shoulders, "I know this is a very important decision you need to discuss and thing over –you're more than welcome to consult with our principal as well as the school counselor. If you decide to advance her into third grade, know that we'll be monitoring her progress closely –academically as well as psychologically."

Leah kissed the top of her daughter's head, the smell of the baby shampoo making her feel slightly apprehensive, "She'll need to make friends –it won't be easy what with her classmates being older than her."

"And we are aware of that," Miss Romo gave them an encouraging smile, "Considering she has an older brother, I believe she'll do fine in that department. If you decide against advancing her, she'll be in a situation that could potentially breed behavioral problems –something that usually happens with gifted children that aren't challenged enough. We don't have a gifted program so the next best solution is advancing them a year."

They both nodded, Rick letting out a soft breath before looking at Leah, running his fingers through her hair in a silent gesture that let her know everything was going to be alright, "We need to discuss this but I'm certain we'll both be in agreement as to what's best for Emerie."

"Daddy," Emmie wiggled in Leah's lap to face her father, "I want to learn more –teacher doesn't teach the other kids what Mou teaches me."

Rick reached to cup her small chin, blue eyes staring intently into each other, "You understand what Miss Romo is suggesting we do, right?"

"Uh-hu," Emmie tried to nod but his hand held her small face in place, "She wants me to be with the bigger kids –their teacher teaches them things I don't know yet. I want to learn more things, Daddy. So I can be smart and get my de-grees."

Rick smiled at her, blinking a couple of times to relieve the burning sensation in his eyes, "You're right, _pedhaki mou_, you need to learn more things to get your degrees but your mama and I need to talk about this, okay?"

"But I want to go to the bigger kids' class."

"Emerie," Rick lifted her from Leah's lap and into his arms, her small hands on either side of his face, "You're growing up too fast but you're still a child and as long as you're a child, your mama and I will decide what's best for you."

"But –"

"No arguing," Rick gave her _the look_, Emmie's small mouth closing with an audible snap, "Now, we know you want to go to third grade –we'll keep that in mind when we talk about it, okay?"

Emmie nodded, wrapping her small arms around his neck as he pulled her into a hug, his arms tight around her –he just didn't like the fact that his baby girl was growing up too fast, and although he wanted to blame it on Embry he knew he couldn't -this wasn't going to be any easier for him either.

"Daddy."

"Yes Emerie."

"I can't breathe."

* * *

_May 12th  
Tacoma, Washington_

The cheers were loud, the applause thunderous as several sharp whistles filled the air.

The new crop of doctors –twenty two out of the thirty that had started the program four years ago –had been given their degrees and released into the world to do what they had learned to do.

Julie stood beside Lian, her hand warm in his as they moved through the crowd towards the doors that lead to the outside pavilion, the graduates still inside.

"Your sister's quite impressive," Lian grinned down at her as he led them towards a tree, letting go of her hand to wrap his arms around her, "First in her class with accolades and awards up the wazzoo."

Julie laughed as she reached up to straighten the lapels of his button down shirt, "She wouldn't appreciate the wazzoo part. You know, what most impresses me is that she's the same age I was when I got my bachelor's."

"Yes, but look at what you've accomplished as well," Lian leaned his forehead against hers, the tip of their noses brushing, "Five years in the music business and you have twelve Grammies, three platinum records and two golds. That in itself is unheard of."

Julie's lips stretched into a smile as she reached up to frame his face in her long-fingered hands, their lips briefly touching before a shout interrupted them.

"Julian!"

Looking to his left, he blinked before a smile broke across his face, "Emily! What are you doing here?"

Emily and Sam moved towards them, Lili in her father's arms while the twins held each of Emily's hands, "Collin's a friend of ours –he graduated second in his class."

"Ah, I see," Lian chuckled as he let go of Julie to hug his sister, giving Sam a friendly punch on the shoulder before crouching down to look at Bailey and Bradley, "Dear God, you two have gotten big. What are you now? Five?"

Brad laughed as Bailey stuck her tongue out at him, answering in a snooty voice, "We're gonna be ten –Lili's the one that's five."

Straightening, he grinned at his youngest niece, laughing when she hid her face into Sam's neck, her little arms holding on tight to her father, "Still shy around me, I see. When are you going to give me a kiss, Lili-bug?"

Lili giggled as Lian's fingers tickled her side, her head popping up as she threw herself into Lian's arms, her giggles high as he held her up above his head, "You're still as light as a feather. So can I have my kiss?"

Lili nodded, kissing his cheek as soon as he brought her down into his arms, "I like your doll, Uncle Lian."

Lian laughed as he looked over his shoulder at Julie, turning to stretch an arm out to her, "She's cute, uh?"

Lili nodded, her straight black hair held back by pink heart shaped clips, "Her dress is pretty –and I like her shoes."

"Lili's into fashion already," Lian pulled Julie into his side before looking over at his sister and brother-in-law, "I believe you all know each other, right?"

"Yeah," Emily gave Julie a slightly awkward hug, moving back to stand beside Sam, "How have you been, Julie?"

"I've been doing great," Julie gave her a smile, the light in her eyes making something inside Emily relax, "It was so good to see my sister walk across the stage –again."

"She's an amazing girl," Emily nodded, her smile dimming slightly as she looked over their heads, "Oh…hey guys."

Julie and Lian turned around to see who was behind them, her shoulders pulling back slightly as Rose and Seth approached them, Vivi in Seth's arms as Marc held on to his aunt's hand.

"Hey," Seth gave Julie a tentative smile before his dark eyes swung over to Lian, "I didn't know you were coming into town."

"Lyn send two tickets so I came with July," Lian lowered Lili onto the ground, thinking it would come in handy to have both hands free –just in case.

"Right," Seth nodded as Vivi squirmed to get down, watching as the little girl ran the few feet separating them towards Julie, who crouched down to talk to her, "You two are an item now."

"What's it to you?"

"Nothing," Seth shrugged, looking down to give Rose a smile before looking at his cousin, "Just don't hurt her."

"Like you did?"

"Lian," Rose looked up at him, her hazel eyes wide as she softly explained, "Seth didn't mean to purposefully hurt –"

"Rose," Lian interrupted her, burying his fingers into the pockets of his slacks, "No offense but Seth's a big boy –he needs to do his own apologizing."

"You're right, I do," Seth dropped his arm from around Rose's waist, "So while you apologize to my wife for talking to her that way I'll apologize to your girl."

Lian watched as Seth approached Julie, saying something to Vivi before he and Julie walked a few steps away.

Julie crossed her arms over her chest, taking a deep breath as Seth stopped and turned to her, his brown-green eyes on her face, "I'm sorry."

Julie nodded, the curls gathered at the back of her head brushing her neck and shoulders, "So am I."

"I'll never regret anything more than that night," Seth slid his hands into the pockets of his khaki pants, shifting his weight slightly, "Especially because everything I told you before…everything you knew I felt…it was all cancelled out by what I said."

Julie nodded, closing her eyes briefly before she took a deep breath and looked into his eyes, "You hurt my pride, Seth. I seriously thought we'd end up being the best of friends…but I realize now it wouldn't have been good for me…I would have kept hanging on to the memories of you –of us –and I never would have moved on."

Seth gave a brief nod, "There's nothing I would like more than for you to find happiness, Jules…to find true love before its too late."

Julie smiled sadly as she looked over at Lian, her lips stretching into a tender smile as she caught his eyes on her, "I already have…but there are still some things that need to be dealt with –but all in its own time."

"Julie," Seth looked over at Lian, letting out a breath as he fought back the urge to explain to her that his cousin was not the true love kind of guy, "I'm sure…my cousin isn't…just…" he let out a deep breath as he reminded himself he had no place to stand on when it came to protecting Julie's heart, "Give each other a chance. I'm sure you two will find something meaningful in each other –you're both very special after all."

She stared at him, letting out a breath before a smile bloomed across her face, "I thought I was going to have to slap you…I was actually looking forward to it but…you never cease to surprise me, Seth. Just when I think I know what you're going to say, you go an entire different route."

Seth lifted a shoulder in a gesture of nonchalance, "Being married to Rose has taught me a lot…she's…she makes me a better man."

"That's good," Julie dropped her arms; her shoulders relaxed as she reached out to give his arm a squeeze, "Make her happy Seth –because you're a total ass without her."

Seth threw back his head in laughter, his shoulders shaking as he reached out to pull her into a hug, "We'll be okay, Jules."

"Of course we will," Julie hugged him before pulling back, her smile impish, "We may be family someday…I hope."

"Everything alright," Lian approached them, his arm curving around Julie's waist as she moved to his side, her own arm snaking around his waist as she smiled up at him, "Yes, everything's fine."

"You got yourself a good one, Lian," Seth gave his cousin's shoulder a soft punch, "Don't mess it up."

"I won't," Lian punched Seth back, although not as lightly, "I've got the brains in the family after all."


	32. Chapter 30

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Another chapter! It's been a busy last two weeks and it's only going to get busier so please, bare with me if I take longer than usual to update for the next six weeks. I'll do my best to maintain my one a week goal but just in case, I apologize ahead of time.  
**

**To answer a question posted by a reviewer simply known as "c" :although it seems Lian and Julie are the focus of this story, I am using their story to make time pass -Gabriel and Vivi are still children and have yet to reach the age where there's more to their everyday life. Don't worry, they will soon get there -at the moment, they are both nine. I update my family tree with every new chapter to keep track of the ages.  
**

**Gaby -Love you darling! thanks for keeping me from going into the dark place. And don't despair -this chapter ends well.  
**

**Ppani -thank you for your wonderful review! You will notice some of the things you pointed out in your review are present in this chapter -I swear, I had already written it all out before I read your review -you're that insightful. Look forward to your next review.  
**

**Inosolan -so awesome to see a new review of yours with every new chapter of mine! thank you!  
**

**Chelsea, Lette, Moani, Loving Leah, and all others -you're all great! I look forward to every review y'all leave behind -they make my day.  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and review.  
**

**Chapter Thirty  
**_First Week of June_

A bark behind him let him know he needed to slow down and give Einstein the chance to catch up.

The sixty pound dog had good running speed but he still fell behind in comparison to Marc's own speed.

Slowing down a little more as he rounded a bend, he saw the crack up ahead –it was ten feet wide and probably only a four foot drop but it always gave Marc that shot of adrenaline that usually came with speed –whether it was on his bike or on his feet, going fast was something he enjoyed immensely.

Einstein came up to his left, his long legs eating up the distance as they got closer.

Several feet away, Marc bend in one fluid motion, still moving as he lifted Einstein into his arms just as he pushed off the edge, flying over the ten feet to land in a crouch a foot away from the opposite rim –easy as pie.

Einstein whined as Marc placed him back on the ground, the four year old dog shaking slightly with his tail tucked between his legs –he hated being airborne but was always good at staying still whenever his boy did something like that.

"You're a good dog, Einstein," Marc rubbed between the dog's ears, patting his back as the bluetick hound moved towards a tree to empty his bladder.

Letting out a sigh, Marc straightened his shirt, looking down to see a streak of dirt on his jeans, his shoelaces untied.

Slapping the dirt away, he crouched down to tie his shoes, his head snapping up at the sound of a soft curse coming from deep inside the forest stretched out before him.

Standing up, he headed into the forest, easily finding the path that would lead him back to La Push, Einstein trotting behind him, his nose sniffing close to the ground even though he couldn't smell.

Rounding the first bend, he stopped at the sight of Bailey on one knee, her head bent as she inspected her other knee, the bicycle lying on its side a couple of feet from her, "I thought you weren't allowed in here."

Her head snapped up, jaw tightening as she yanked her jeans' leg down to hide her scraped knee, rising to her feet, lifting her chin in a challenge, "It's not like I'm going to be telling. Are you?"

Marc shrugged as he slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "I don't care what you do –besides, your dad was the one that made the rule."

"You're in here," Bailey picked up her bicycle, pushing it beside her as she moved past him up the way he had come from, her nose stuck high in the air –little princess bitch is what Marc called her in his head.

"I'm an exemption to the rule," Marc turned to watch her walk up the path out of the forest and towards the mountains, "Your dad's gonna find out you've been out here –it's dangerous."

"Considering you're in here and not up there," Bailey turned to face him, jerking her thumb over her shoulder, "I'll be safer going that way."

Her insult seemed to have no effect as Marc kept his face immovable, Einstein sniffing the ground as he walked further into the woods.

"What did you find for dinner," Bailey sneered at him, propping her bike against her thigh as she crossed her arms over her chest, fighting back the desire to turn and run as Marc arched an eyebrow at her, "A skunk?"

Marc's lips spread into a smile that showed his white teeth, an edge of mockery in his words, "A mountain lion."

Bailey shivered with disgust as she covertly rubbed at the goosebumps breaking over her arms, "Dad should have killed you and your sister when he had a chance. You're both freaks of nature –you shouldn't exist."

Marc didn't reply, simply tilting his head to the side as he looked over her shoulder, his mouth stretching into a one sided smile as Bailey continued insulting him and his sister, "You're both an abo –what the hell are you smiling at?"

Marc lifted a shoulder in a shrug, "Just wondering how long it's going to take between you shooting your mouth off and that bear biting your head off."

Bailey spun around, the bike falling to the ground as she took a step back, freezing in place when the bear, several yards up from where they were, looked her way, his snout quivering as he sniffed the air, "Oh God…do something."

"Why should I," Marc leaned against a tree, not at all worried as he watched Bailey and the bear stare each other down, "You called me and my sister freaks of nature."

"I never said you were monsters," Bailey's voice shook as the bear started moving towards them, his big body undulating with each step, the vibrations under her feet making her shake, "You can't let the bear eat me."

Marc rolled his eyes as he pushed himself away from the tree, "It's not going to eat –"

The bear let out a roar as it stood on its hind legs, his beady eyes trained on Marc as his nose quivered –the shifting wind carrying Marc's scent uphill and now the huge mammal felt the threat of a predator.

Marc grimaced as Bailey let out a squeak, feeling a little bad about how scared the girl was, "Okay…maybe you should walk backwards –very slowly."

Bailey took a step back, freezing when the bear lowered to all fours, "Marc…kill him or something."

"Are you fucking kidding me," Marc moved very slowly towards Bailey, keeping his eyes on the mammal, "He's a grizzly bear."

"You had a mountain lion for dinner," she hissed at him, able to feel him close behind her –now she was between a bear and a half-vampire…just her fucking luck.

"And apparently, you eat bullshit for lunch," Marc reached out to take her arm in his hand, "Don't make any sudden movements Bailey, or we're both screwed."

Bailey bit her lip as he pulled her back, brown eyes never leaving the bear as it made its way towards them, huge body shifting menacingly with every heavy step he took, the ground shaking hard under them.

"Climb up the tree," Marc moved her to the nearest tree, her eyes flicking up quickly before she turned her attention back to the bear, "I can't reach the branch."

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Marc dropped to his knees, shoving his head between her knees as he grabbed her ankles, standing up with her on his shoulders, "Grab the branch and get up there!"

The tree bark scratched her hands but she grabbed onto the branch, pulling herself up as Marc held her feet in his hands, his eyes on the bear as it increased its speed, "Will you fucking hurry up!"

As soon as her feet left his hands, Marc jumped up and grabbed another branch, his feet scrambling against the tree trunk as he heard a series of shark barks growing closer, "Shit!"

Looking down, he watched as Einstein ran towards the bear, barking and growling, his hackles up as the bear swiped at him with a large paw, "Einstein, no!"

The bluetick hound skipped back, narrowly missing the clawed paw as he snapped his teeth, lunging towards the bear, the large animal rearing on its hind legs.

"Einstein," Marc yelled as his heart beat fast, watching his dog bare his teeth, his body coiled as he readied himself to attack, "No! Go get help! Einstein!"

Bailey closed her eyes, holding tight to the branch as a high pitched whine filled her ears, Marc's yells increasing in desperation as she tried to swallow past the knot in her throat.

The tree shook, a scream squeezing past her tight throat as her eyes flew open, "Marc! Don't!"

She didn't think, simply moved to grab Marc by the arm and yank him back, keeping him from jumping off the tree, Einstein struggling onto his feet, favoring a front leg as he bared his teeth at the bear, his side bleeding from jagged claw marks.

"Let me go," Marc tried to shake her off but she held on tight with both hands, "Dammit, Bailey, let me go! Einstein!"

A series of deep howls echoed throughout the forest, the bear's head moving up as it sniffed the air, Einstein growling and snapping his teeth as he weaved slightly on his feet.

Lowering to all fours, the bear turned around and hurried up the path as three gigantic wolves broke through the trees.

One of them –the pitch black one Vivi called Shadow –stopped under their tree as the other two ran up the mountain after the bear.

Einstein let out a weak bark as he hobbled a few steps before collapsing onto the ground, the black wolf sniffing the base of the tree before looking up, its dark eyes luminous as it looked from Bailey to Marc then back.

Turning, it slipped between the trees, several seconds dragging by before Sam stepped into view, his words deep and soothing as he reached for his daughter, "It's okay, Bailey. You can let go of Marc now."

"Is it gone," Bailey's voice shook, her hands holding on tight to Marc's arm as she stared at the path leading out of the forest.

"Yes, baby," Sam wrapped her in a hug as soon as he lifted her down from the tree, Marc jumping down to land in a crouch. His knees scraped the forest ground before he shoved himself to his feet to run towards Einstein, the dust in the air clinging to the left behind by his tears, "The bear's gone."

Bailey wrapped her arms around his neck, tears rolling down her face as she watched Marc fall to his knees next to Einstein. His hands moved over the dog's body, blood soaking his jeans and shirt as soon as he lifted Einstein's head onto his lap, "Daddy, we need to get Einstein to a doctor –he saved us."

"We will, baby," Sam kissed her cheek, holding her tight a while longer before setting her down on her feet, watching as she moved to kneel at Einstein's other side.

"It's gonna be okay, boy," Marc stroked his hand over Einstein's face, his thumb tripping over a gash on his muzzle, "I'll take care of you –you'll be okay, Einstein –you have to be okay…you're my best friend, you can't…"

"Daddy's going to take him to the doctor," Bailey sniffed back a sob as she stroked the dog's shoulder, his tail wagging slowly against the forest ground, "He'll be okay, Marc. I'll help you take care of him."

Marc nodded, swallowing a sob as he buried his face into Einstein's neck, his chest painfully tight as Brad and Dougie ran down the path towards them, both of them phased down wearing cut off shorts and nothing else.

They said nothing, simply gave Sam a nod to let him know they'd chased the bear to the other side of the mountain, all three men watching as Marc cried into Einstein's neck while Bailey comforted him, the dog's breathing labored and harsh in the heavy silence.

* * *

_Third Week of June_

Rose walked across the living room floor towards the front door as another knock sounded, this one a little louder than the first.

Turning the knob, her eyebrows shot up in surprise as soon as she opened the door, "Bailey…hi."

Bailey gave her a shy smile, shifting the cardboard box she had in her arms, "Hi, Mrs. Clearwater. Is Marc home?"

Rose blinked, staring at the eleven year old girl for a few seconds before she realized she had yet to answer, "Yes. He's upstairs in his room."

"Can I go up," Bailey shifted the box again as she tossed her head to get the long bangs out of her eyes, "I brought some stuff…for Einstein."

"Oh, sure," Rose stepped aside to let her in as she pointed towards the stairs, "Maybe you can get him to come out of his room."

Bailey stopped at the foot of the stairs, blinking big doe brown eyes –so much like her mother's –before she smiled, "I'll try."

"Do you need help with the box?"

"No, thank you," she shook her head, the bangs falling back over her eyes, "I've got it."

Rose watched her run up the stairs, still shocked to have Bailey Susannah Uley in her house, seeking out Marc…

The universe must have tilted upside down.

Bailey shifted the box to free a hand, knocking on the door twice, waiting a beat then knocking two more times before turning the knob and pushing the door open.

Entering the room, she used her foot to close the door behind her before moving across the room towards the glass wall, dropping to her knees as she set the box aside, "He's looking better."

Marc nodded, not hesitating as he stroked Einstein's side, a fresh white bandage wrapped around his middle and front leg, "He ate a little today but I still have to force feed him."

"I brought him something," Bailey pulled out a box of milk bones, a fleeting smile crossing Marc's face as he took the offered box, "These are his favorite treats."

Bailey shrugged as she pulled out a teddy bear from the box, snuggling it under Einstein's paw, the bluetick hound sniffing it before settling his head back on Marc's lap, "I thought the dog on the box looked happy. Is he taking his medicine?"

Marc nodded, reaching up to gently stroke the floppy ears, "Uncle Seth holds him down so he won't move and rip his stitches and I give him his medicine –the pills that go to the back of his throat are a little hard to do."

"I brought him a new ball," Bailey handed him the tennis ball, smiling as Einstein's ears perked up, his big brown eyes on the ball as his tail started wagging, "He likes it."

"Einstein likes to play fetch," Marc set the ball out of sight, scratching him at the base of his skull; "He can't play yet. The vet said he should start moving in another week but I can't let him run yet."

"We'll just keep the ball safe until then," Bailey scratched his back leg, Einstein turning his head to give her a doggy grin as his tail wagged faster, "Before you know it, he'll be chasing squirrels and fetching again."

"Yeah," Marc bit the inside of his cheek, not looking at her as he nodded, his fingers moving over Einstein's muzzle, the scab on the side of his nose hard and crusty under his fingertips.

Bailey gave Einstein's rump a gentle pat, shifting on her knees as she took a deep breath, the concentrated smell in the room causing her discomfort but she had something she needed to say, "I'm sorry."

Marc's eyes snapped up as he finally looked at her for the first time since she walked in, "Why? The bear did it, not you."

"I know," Bailey moved back on her bottom to cross her legs, leaning her elbows on her knees as she rested her chin on her fists, "But I went into the woods and I shouldn't have."

"The bear would have turned away if it hadn't been for me," Marc looked down at his dog, feeling unworthy of the adoration he could see in his big brown eyes, "He caught my scent and felt threatened."

"You can't blame yourself, Marc," Bailey's mouth hitched into a one sided smile, "Crap like that happens sometimes."

"Yeah."

The silence lengthen with every passing minute, Bailey stroking Einstein's shoulder as Marc kept the steady scratching behind his ears.

Letting out a heavy breath, Einstein stretched, whimpering as the healing wounds on his side pulled.

"It's okay, boy," Marc rubbed his thumb between Einstein's big brown eyes, knowing it would help him relax, "It won't last."

Letting out another whimper, the bluetick hound shifted his head on his boy's lap, tongue lolling out to the side as he panted, slowly relaxing into his plush doggie bed.

Bailey leaned down to hug his neck, her ponytail sliding over her shoulder.

They didn't say anything to each other, simply focusing their attention on Einstein.

A rumbling sound broke the silence, Bailey looking up to see Marc's face flushing, "Was that you?"

Marc nodded, his eyes on Einstein, his fingers never stilling, "Tia Rosa brings me food."

"But it's not enough, is it," Bailey wrinkled her nose, dropping her eyes to watch Marc's fingers ruffling Einstein's short haired coat, "You have to…go out, right?"

Marc didn't look at her but it was obvious from the tightness of his voice he wasn't comfortable at the moment discussing his…supplemental diet, "I'll be fine."

"Why don't you go out," Bailey rubbed her nose, the burning sensation already past uncomfortable and bordering on painful; "I'll stay with Einstein."

"You scared I'll lose it and bite you?"

"I'm not scared of you," Bailey scowled at him, thrusting her chin forward, "Besides, you'd never bite me."

"How can you be so sure?"

They stared into each others' eyes, the tension heavy in the room, neither flinching as she answered.

"Because you don't want to be a monster."

* * *

_August_  
_First Day of School  
1:45PM_

The trees were dancing and she could hear the wind singing, the glass cold against her hand as she watched the outside.

The colors were pretty –all the trees were different, leaves falling and flying as clouds moved across the blue sky.

She moved side to side, her eyes on the tree outside, her fingers tapping the glass to make music with the whistling wind.

"Tyra, baby, where are you?"

Blinking, she twisted to look at her mama, blond hair tickling her neck as it moved too.

"Baby, what are you doing by the window?"

She turned to look outside again, intently studying the yard as she patted the glass, "Zak. Zak."

She knew mama was smiling because mama always smiled, "We'll pick him up soon, okay?"

She nodded, bouncing her knees a couple of times before she leaned forward to press her nose against the glass, breathing hard to paint it just like Ady and Aly taught her.

A cry from down the hall had her spinning around, toddling as fast as she could after mama to the boys' room.

"Oh my God," mama moved into the room, picking Aly up from the floor, "Oh, baby, are you okay?"

Aly sobbed, wrapping his arms around her neck, Ady leaning against the side of the ladder that went up to Gabe's bed, "He 'kay?"

Mama sat on Zak's bed, cuddling Aly as she moved her fingers over his head, her thumb touching the red booboo on his forehead, "Was he trying to climb the ladder, Andrey?"

Ady nodded, his blue eyes filling with tears 'cause he knew he was in trouble, "He slipped."

"You both know you're not supposed to climb the ladder," mama kissed Aly's booboo, setting him on Zak's bed –it was the bottom one where she could reach to wake him up in the morning, "I told you it was dangerous and you could get hurt. Now you know."

Toddling across the room, the blue and green rug tickling her bare feet, she leaned into the bed, reaching out to pat her brother's knee, "'S 'k, Aly."

Aly sniffed, rubbing his fist under his nose before he reached to pinch her nose.

"No Aly," Tyra slapped his hand, moving away from the bed as she scowled at him, "Ba Aly."

"Tyra," mama looked at her and now she knew she was in trouble, "You don't hit your brother."

Her bottom lip poked out, tears welling up in her brown-green eyes as she pointed at her brother then touched her nose, "Ba Aly."

"I know, baby," mama leaned forward, lifting her up to sit on her lap, giving Aly _the look_ when he leaned forward to pull her toes, "Alyx, don't. She doesn't like you doing that."

She scowled at Aly, holding both feet in her hands to keep them away from his fingers.

"Now," mama ruffled Ady's hair as he moved to lean into her side, his hand under Tyra's knee, "It's time to pick up Zaky from school –"

"Zak," Tyra interrupted, sticking a small finger into her mouth as she nodded with her entire body, "Zak."

Mama smiled as she brushed back the blond curls off her forehead, "You missed him, uh, baby?"

Mama laughed as she nodded again, the hand on her back keeping her from falling off her lap.

"Now," mama looked at Ady and Aly, "You two need to behave if you want to come. If not, I can drop you off at Granma's for a while."

Ady and Aly looked at each other then looked at Tyra, Aly's smile making her frown as she tucked her feet between mama's legs.

"We go Granma's," Aly scooted off the bed, Ady following as they ran to the closet, coming out with shoes in their hands.

"Of course you pick Granma," mama stood up, shifting Tyra to set her on her hip, "She lets you run wild."

Ady and Aly laughed, bumping each other as they held up their shoes to her.

Placing her on her feet, mama gave her a pat on the bottom, "Go get your shoes, Tyra."

She toddled across the hall to the room on the other side, tripping on the edge of the butterflies on the floor.

Pushing herself up, she toddled into the room with the clothes, crouching down to pick up her shoes.

She was going to get Zak!

* * *

The drive to Forks was short, Alyx and Andrey chattering as they took turns making Tyra screech.

Leah let out a sigh of relief once they reached her mom's house, glad to see her come out of the house –she wasn't going to have to take Tyra out of her car seat.

"Rick will pick them up after he's done with track practice," Leah hugged her mother before moving around the car to open the door and unbuckle Alyx, "I have an appointment at the doctor's for Tyra after I pick up Zaky."

"Don't worry about it," Sue lifted Andrey out of his car seat, settling him on the ground before leaning in to give Tyra a kiss, her little hands reaching up to pat her face, "I'll make sure and tire them out."

"Good luck with that," Leah closed the door as Alyx ran up the driveway, Andrey meeting him on the porch, "Hey!"

They stopped at the front door, turning in unison to smile at their mother before running down the porch steps, tackling her legs as they laughed.

Squatting to their level, she pulled them into her arms, buzzing their baby soft cheeks, laughing when they reciprocated in kind.

Patting them on the bottom, she watched them run up the porch and into her mother's house.

"Thanks mama," Leah straightened her sweater, moving around the car to hug her mother again, "I hope they don't give you too much trouble."

"Oh, don't worry," Sue kissed her cheek, waving at her granddaughter, grinning when she opened and closed her little fingers in a wave, "It's always a pleasure to watch them."

"Oh, I'm sure it is," Leah got into the driver's seat, opening the window as soon as she closed the door, "By the way, thanks for teaching them to whistle through their teeth."

Sue laughed, slipping her hands into the pockets of her sweater, "I know I shouldn't have but they're impossible to resist –especially when they say please at the same time."

Leah laughed as she set the car on reverse, giving her mother a wave as she teased, "It's the dimples –you need to become immune to them."

Sue laughed, giving them one last wave as she shouted, "That's not going to happen any time soon."

* * *

Leah smiled as she walked down the hall, thinking how sweet her babies were, walking a couple of feet in front of her, Zaky holding his little sister's hand, the Nemo backpack he had asked for too big for his little shoulders.

She knew people thought her insane for wanting so many kids –well, except for Sam.

He was certain she had some calculated plan to outnumber his pack –that was far from a sign of insanity.

She had explained to Rick the pain of believing herself barren for so long, yet the biggest reason was that they fascinated her with their differences despite all of them –well, except for Tyra –looking so similar.

Each one was a part of herself and a part of Rick yet uniquely themselves in personality…Gabriel, her first born and the one to bring joy back into her life, was becoming more like his father with every passing day.

He knew what he liked and liked getting his way. Full of energy as most nine year olds were, he was assertive and she was starting to notice, wanting control of things and people.

It was something she should have seen coming what with his propensity to choose which toys to share but she hadn't expected it to transfer to people…it seemed especially obvious where Vivi was concerned.

Definitely something they needed to work on.

Now Emmie…oh, her sweet little genius!

So curious and full of questions –there were times she felt stupid not knowing the answers –it seemed her love for knowledge was something she shared with the two men in her life and no one else.

It never failed though, for Emmie's line of questioning to have her laughing to the point of crying –she was just so inquisitive and precocious –and it always surprised her how quick she connected the dots between one subject to the next.

Her nosiness, though, was something she and Rick were struggling with. She was interested in everything and everyone even if it did not concern her.

This habit led to another troubling one –gossip. She talked to anyone about anything –and by anything, she said everything she learned, saw and heard.

It was going to be a hard fight but at least it was the only one so far –thanks to Rick's rules, they were doing pretty well at sidestepping any issues that may arise with Embry.

Now her Zaky –oh, he was such a sweet boy. His quiet nature seemed to be a byproduct of shyness but it wasn't that –he just didn't care to say much unless it was important to him.

Out of all their children, Zaky was the one that always brought Nicolai to Rick's mind.

Her third born loved all things of the sea, spend all his free time with his Uncle Seth learning the secrets of surfing –sometimes she worried that his desire to commune with the ocean would isolate him from others but after Tyra was born...

Zaky loved his little sister, liked to lie down next to her while she took her naps and just watch her sleep. He always made sure the twins didn't torture her to the point of crying, kept her near him whenever they were together, was always willing to drop his toys and play with her whenever she asked.

Now the twins –oh, the twins…Alyx and Andrey were going to give her gray hair before her time. Those two were a combination of sweet and naughty, always laughing and seeing humor in everything. Their deviousness was never ending and it amazed her how they used their intelligence to get into so much trouble.

Andrey seemed to be the quieter of the two but when his brother was by his side, he just let himself adopt Alyx's open and loud ways, both of them charming their way out of trouble –something that, thank goodness, never worked with Rick.

Everyone else, herself included, turned into putty with a simple flash of their matching dimples.

Now her baby –Tyra was already growing into her own personality, showing signs of stubbornness with occasional moments of shyness.

She loved her Daddy –followed him all around the house whenever he was home, liked having him play with her and Zaky.

If it wasn't Rick, it was Zaky –those two were her safe harbor, the ones she ran too when the twins put their deviousness to use with her as the test subject.

What she had notice, though, was the twins' inability to surprise her –they could make her cry, even get her angry, but they could not scare or surprise her…almost like she knew what their devious minds were capable of.

Charlie had remarked how she would make a good cop.

Embry's car pulled up beside her as she buckled Tyra into her seat, Zaky working on his own seat belt, "Aren't you here a little early?"

Embry shrugged as he closed the door, the black t-shirt he wore stretched across his broad chest, "Fifteen minutes. It's her first day of third grade –and as per my deal with Rick, I get to take her out for ice cream once a week, starting with the first day of school."

Leah laughed as she buzzed Tyra's chubby cheek before climbing out of the back seat and closing the door, "She'll be happy to see you –let me know if she had a hard day. Rick assures me bumping her up a grade was a good decision but it still worries me."

"You're her mom," Embry moved around the front of the Rabbit, his hands in the pockets of his worn out jeans, "It's your job to make sure she's safe –it's my job to make her happy. See how it works?"

Leah laughed, shaking her head as she opened the driver's side door, "It's all about teamwork. Don't let her put too many toppings on her ice cream –it's hard enough to get her to sit still long enough for her to eat dinner without sugar adding to the problem."

"Hey," Embry gave her a shrug with a cheeky smile, "As an imprint, I claim the same rights as grandparents –spoil the crap out of her and deny her nothing."

* * *

_Last Week of August  
New York City_

A heavy sigh escaped him as he tossed back the comforter, moving gingerly to sit up, his legs hanging off the side of the bed, a dull ache still lingering at the base of his skull.

They had pulled an all-nighter to finish their CD, the band insisting on a celebratory brunch after recording the last song.

Halfway through the boisterous meal, a blinding pain had hit him square between the eyes and in less than five minutes, he was incapacitated by a full blown migraine.

The pain had been so bad, he'd handed his car keys to Julie, not caring if she could drive or not –hell, at that point, death sounded like a welcome relief to the pounding in his head.

It had all been a blur –Julie had gotten him up to his apartment and given him Advil before helping him change and tucking him into bed, drawing the heavy curtains over the large window to block the outside light –he vaguely remembered her staying by his side until he fell asleep.

Looking at the clock, he ran his fingers through his hair, the silence making him wonder if Julie had left while he took his three hour nap.

Standing up, he hitched up the lounge pants he wore, taking a t-shirt out of the drawer he kept them in and pulling it over his head as he made his way down the hall to his living room.

Stopping as soon as the hallway opened into the large living room, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

She was stretched out on his couch, wearing his clothes –black boxers and an undershirt –with a bowl of popcorn on her flat stomach as she watched the large screen of his plasma TV, the volume muted –the silence now made sense, "What are you watching?"

Julie's eyes moved to look at him, her full lips spreading into a smile as he moved across the living room floor, "A movie on vampires and werewolves."

Lian snorted as he lifted her legs to sit in the middle of the couch, taking the bowl of popcorn from her before he stretched on her, his head pillowed on her chest as she extended long legs on either side of him, "Why are you watching this?"

Julie took a handful of popcorn from the bowl, which Lian had placed on his chest, "You're always asking me about mermaids and the family legends –I just thought it would be interesting to learn more about your own legends."

Lian chuckled, lifting his arm to place his hand behind his head, his middle finger hooking into the neckline of the shirt she wore as he watched the silent scene unfolding, his other hand stroking her leg, "You won't learn from watching this crap –Hollywood has it all wrong when it comes to our legends."

"Then you teach me," Julie ran her fingers through his hair, feeling him relax into her, his back flush against her stomach and lower abdomen, "What are the legends you grew up with?"

Lian closed his eyes, letting out a sigh as he felt the dull ache he'd woken up with slowly disappear, "I'm Makah and Seth is Quileute –ever wondered how we can be related?"

"I assumed either his dad or mom is related someway to one of your parents."

Lian nodded, opening his mouth when she offered him popcorn, sucking the butter and salt off her fingers before chewing and swallowing, "Seth's mom is my dad's little sister. She grew up in the Makah reservation –met Uncle Harry during a town celebration in Forks."

"Was it love at first sight?"

Lian smiled as he curled his fingers around the delicate curve of her knee, his scalp tingling as she kept running her fingers through his hair, "Yeah. For both of them –dad didn't make it easy, though. He was very protective of Aunt Sue and a bit…bias, shall we say? He felt that she should marry someone from our own tribe –see, by marrying Uncle Harry, Aunt Sue ceased to be Makah and became Quileute."

"So that's why there's no half Makah and half Quileute," Julie shifted slightly, the feel of his body cradled between her legs causing a flush to spread through her body.

"No such thing," Lian ran a finger down her shin, circling to move up her calve, "You're either Makah or Quileute, you can't be both. Loyalty to our people is ingrained in us from childhood –it's why dad wasn't happy with me choosing to leave the reservation and seek my future in the white man's world."

"You've done well for yourself," Julie took another handful of popcorn from the bowl.

"By betraying my roots, so my father says."

Julie swept his shaggy hair off his forehead, chuckling as he pointed at the screen, "Did that chick just kiss the vampire dude?"

"Yes," Julie turned her attention to the screen, watching the muted movie for a few seconds before explaining to Lian, "She moved to this small town to live with her father and fell in love with the resident vampire –most of the plot concerns his struggle between warring desires to kill her and love her."

"She's a fucking ditz," Lian removed his hand from behind his head, the back brushing Julie's breast, causing her body to react instantly to the simple touch, "Why would a girl –a live, human girl –waste her time with a soulless bloodsucker?"

"I don't know," Julie laughed, drawing up the leg tucked between Lian's body and the back of the couch, Lian using it as an armrest, his hand cupping her knee, "I myself am intrigued by her werewolf best friend –who happens to be in love with her."

Lian laughed, the lingering pain he had been feeling completely gone as he tilted his head back to look at her face, "And what about this werewolf intrigues you?"

"He's hot," Julie gave him a teasing grin as she pointed at the screen, "This is my favorite scene –shirtless and standing in the rain…yum."

Lian's eyebrows lowered over his brown eyes as he said in a petulant tone, "I'm much hotter without a shirt than he is."

"That's true," she slid her fingers over his jaw, down his throat and into the neck of his t-shirt, his skin warm against her fingertips, "But I've yet to see you shirtless _and _wet."

"Something that can be easily remedied," Lian set the popcorn bowl on the floor, turning until he was facing her, his forearms on either side of her head keeping his weight off her, "How about we take a shower together?"

"Mhm," Julie lifted her arms to wrap them around his neck, her fingers ruffling his hair, "That sounds very intriguing…"

Lian grinned, lowering his head to kiss her bottom lip, his tongue teasing the corners of her mouth as she opened to him.

Frustration welled up inside her as he kept teasing her mouth, his tongue sweeping over hers then pulling back before she could respond in kind.

He let out a deep chuckle as she gripped his hair to keep him still, her lips slamming against him as she took control of the kiss, her tongue delving into his mouth with an avarice that betrayed the depth of her desire.

Before long, they were both panting, their bodies flushed as the clothes between them became an annoyance needing to be divested.

Lian tossed aside the shirt she wore, dipping his head to suck at her hard nipple through the lace of her blue bra, his hand molding and squeezing her other breast, pulling and twisting her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, the pleasure sharp as it flashed through her like a bolt of lightning.

Letting out a moan, she arched her body into him, her hips tilting to rub against the hard bulge pressed against her core.

They vacillated back and forth over that fine line between lovemaking and lust-filled fucking, his hands alternating between rough and gentle as he stroked her body, fingers digging into her hips, dragging down to knead her thighs before he pushed her knees up.

"Please…" Julie's plea came out in a sob, her body shaking with the intensity of the crackling connection between them, the hollowness inside her expanding to take in the pulsating emotions that radiated deep within him –it was like breathing for the first time.

The rest of what they were wearing evaporated in the heat of their desire, leaving them nude and slick with perspiration, soft curves sliding against hard muscle.

"Bedroom," Lian growled, tugging at her earlobe with his teeth, "Now."

"No," Julie dug her fingernails into his sides, her legs wrapped around his hips.

The hot, hard length of his cock glided against her molten core, her heart racing as she whispered into his ear, "Here. I want you here –I want you now."

A growl rumbled deep in his chest as he reached down between them, his thumb flicking the swollen bundle of nerves hidden between the lips of her sex before positioning himself against her slick opening.

Sinking into her –the slick muscles of her pussy rippling tightly around him –he realized at that moment that nothing –absolutely nothing in heaven, earth or hell –would have him turn and walk away.

She owned him –heart, body…and soul.


	33. Chapter 31

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I have to work for the next three nights! Ugh! Anyhow, got the chapter done for this weekend's allotment although it is on a weekday...but hey, what a better way to start the week, right? If you haven't noticed, the Family Tree chapter has been updated with new additions...having a hard time keeping track of ages and school grades that I'm updating it with every chapter as the months pass...there's practically a birthday in every month!  
**

**Oh, just for your info (and to tease Seth) he's now 29...one more year until he hits the big 3.0!  
**

**Gaby -sending you kudos for your idea that I've used on this chapter. Thank you and I love you! Think happy, sunny thoughts my friend.  
**

**Ses -I will always miss you...it breaks my heart a little with each chapter that goes by without your review.  
**

**Ppani -you're awesome! It cracks me up on how insightful you're turning out to be. Look forward to your review for this chapter.  
**

**Inosolan -thanks for the review...it was a bit short but it was still very much appreciated...too bad phones don't allow for longer reviews.  
**

**Chelsea, Lette, bridg,loving LEAH and all you other great reviewers -keep reviewing! I'm always willing to listen to critical criticism and possible ideas...if it works, I'll use them.  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and remember to review!  
**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

_September 9__th__  
La Push_

"Oh come on," Seth yelled at the TV, dragging his fingers through his hair as he leaned back into the couch, "That was a down –what is the matter with that ref?"

Shaking his head, he lifted his feet onto the coffee table, watching as the Saints scored another touchdown against the Redskins.

It was a Sunday afternoon and he was taking the time to just relax and watch his team play –it seemed like he might be watching them loose too.

Vivi was spending the day at Nika's while Marc was at his sister's, probably working on his bike tricks with Gabriel –those two were always an enigma, almost inseparable unless Vivi came into the picture, then they were at opposite ends of the fighting ring.

He looked up as Rose walked into the living room, smiling as she sat down on the couch, lifting her legs to set her bare feet against his thigh, "What are you doing?"

"Painting my toenails," Rose shook the bottle of polish before twisting the top open, "Keep watching your game."

He turned his attention back to the TV just as the Redskins scored, "Yes! That's what I'm talking about!"

"Seth," Rose scolded him as she leaned into her thighs, the wet brush on her right hand, "Keep still."

"Oh, sorry," Seth watched as she meticulously painted her toenails, the color a shimmery pink, "Can I try that?"

Rose looked up at him in surprise, "You want to paint my toes?"

"Sure," Seth let her finish applying the wet polish on her big toe before taking the offered brush and bottle, "I've never done this, though: is there a specific way or something?"

Rose smiled as she wrapped her arms around her bent legs, resting her chin on the notch formed by her knees to watch him as he dipped the brush into the bottle, "Just make sure there's not too much polish on the brush and do long, even strokes."

Seth couldn't hold back the smile but didn't bother to explain to Rose why –his wife still had a bit of innocence when it came to sexual innuendos, "Okay."

The silence was comfortable as she watched him, his focus intent as he carefully painted each toenail, tilting his head to inspect his work before moving on to the next one.

"I think we should have a baby."

Seth froze, the brush poised over her big toe as his eyes snapped up to look at his wife, "Say what?"

"We've been married for three years now," Rose wrapped her arms tighter around her legs, moving her chin to prop it on her right knee, "We both have stable jobs that pay well…I was just thinking maybe we could start trying."

Seth placed the brush into the bottle before setting it on the side table, "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Rose sat up straight, placing her hands on the couch at either side of her hips, "I'm twenty-five and you're twenty-eight…it's a good age to become parents, don't you think?"

"Well, yeah…" Seth dropped his feet to the floor, completely oblivious to the cheers coming from the television, "Do we…when do we start?"

"Dr. Lodhi said it would be best to start after I finish my last pill cycle."

Seth nodded, not understanding what she meant so to make it simple for himself, "When will that be?"

Rose gave him a shy smile, her eyes bright as she answered, "Today."

Seth's mouth spread into a wide grin as he stood up, Rose letting out a squeal when he picked her up to toss her over his shoulder, "Seth! You're going to mess up my toes!"

"I'll re-do them later," he strode down the hall towards their bedroom with long, purposeful strides, giving her round bottom a playful slap, "For now, we've got some baby making to do."

* * *

_Three nights later  
1:33AM_

Seth jerked awake, not sure what woke him up as he looked around the darkened room, rubbing his chest.

He could feel the wolf inside him stirring with interest –in what, he wasn't exactly sure.

Sniffing for a sign of threat, his mouth watered at the delicious smell hanging thick in the air.

A growl build up deep inside him, both sides of him single mindedly focused on the strong scent filling his nostrils.

Whatever it was, he had to have it.

Gently untangling Rose's hair from around his arm, he tossed the bed comforter aside, swinging his legs off the side of the bed as he kept taking deep breaths –there was a familiarity underneath the newness of this scent…almost like he'd smelled a lighter, more subtle version before.

Walking down the hallway, he stepped into the kitchen, his sharp eyesight able to see in detail despite the lack of light –nothing in there was the source of that smell…where the hell was it then?

Another growl rumbled inside him as he turned full circle before heading back to the master bedroom, his brain soaking in the richness of that smell –his entire body was tight with wanting and he had to find it.

Moving into the room, he headed to the window, his hands gripping the sides of the wide frame as he searched the moon bathed view –with the window closed, there was no way it was coming from outside…

A soft sigh had him looking over his shoulder, eyes narrowing as he watched Rose shift onto her back, throwing an arm over her head, long dark hair spread across her pillow as she continued to sleep.

Taking a deep breath, he realized why it seemed familiar…he'd been hit with it when he first met her, except there had been a strong overtone of innocence. With time, it had changed as she grew into herself, sensuality becoming stronger while her innocence remained.

Even then, it hadn't been this strong…

Crawling up the bed, he pulled the bed sheet off her, the heat radiating from his body keeping her from noticing the change in temperature.

Why did she suddenly smell so…fucking…good?

He buried his nose into her neck, his hands on either side of her torso, knees bracketing her hips. Moving his nose down her throat, he flicked his tongue over her skin, an involuntary groan making its way up his throat –she tasked so fucking good!

She let out a sigh, turning her head to the opposite side as he slid his nose along the rounded edge of her top, leaning back on his heels as he moved his nose down between her full breasts, taking deep breaths all the while.

His brain was completely saturated in the richness of her scent; he was feeling drunk and high at the same time –there was no way he would ever get tired of the way she smelled.

Sliding his hand under her top, he opened his mouth against the curve of her breast, the taste of her soft skin exploding on his tongue again, causing a shudder to run down his wide back.

New scent…new flavor…the small part of him that could still think realized in sudden surprise why the concentrated effect of her scent was hitting him like a full on collision.

The synthetic hormones of the pill had finally flushed out of her system –it was like she'd been stripped down to the very essence of her womanhood.

No way in hell was he ever going to let her go back on the pill.

Rose let out a soft moan as he moved his mouth over her flat stomach, his hands sliding up her ribs, dragging the top she wore along to toss it aside.

Dipping his tongue into her bellybutton, he let out a low growl, gently biting down on the slight swell of her lower stomach.

Another moan escaped her as she responded to his touch, her hips rising off the mattress as he pulled down her sleeping shorts.

Stroking her silky legs, he sucked at the inked skin over her left hip, nudging her thighs apart to settle himself between them.

"Seth…" his name came out in a drawn out whimper, her back arching as she grabbed fistfuls of her pillow, her brain slowly waking up to the sensual assault being unleashed on her body.

She woke up as an orgasm ripped through her, lungs fighting for air as the pressure in her lower belly began building again, "Seth, _por favor…_" she groaned, her thighs trembling as he held them apart, "_Te necesito…_Seth!"

She shook as a second orgasm sent her flying, her fingers cramping with the force of her grip on the pillow.

He didn't let her come down, his fingers putting just enough pressure against that soft spot deep inside her to rocket her higher, the intense explosion inside her resonating as it rippled through her, one orgasm after another making her scream out in pleasure.

He gently stroked his tongue over her swollen flesh, her soft whimpers causing a wave of shivers to rack his hot body, the taste of her getting him drunk.

"Please…" Rose let go of the pillow, burying her fingers into his hair as he moved up her body, his hot hands rough against the silk of her skin, "_No mas_…Seth, I can't…oh."

She was so sensitive, wet and swollen; she felt every bit of his hard, thick cock as he buried himself in her, the familiar pressure building quickly as she dug her fingernails into his shoulders.

She didn't think it possible but as soon as he was buried to the hilt, the pressure broke, sending her into another trip around their universe.

Her inner muscles clamped down on him so hard, it forced his own orgasm, the force of it ripping him apart, his body tense as he struggled to breathe.

It took longer than usual for him to return to himself, his shoulders smarting and his arms shaking as he held on tight to his wife.

Tears dripped onto his neck as he buried his face into hers, the strong scent of their lovemaking somehow calming the wolf deep inside him enough to be able to relax.

Small hands moved over his broad back as she kissed his shoulder, the perspiration clinging to the russet colored skin salty against her lips.

Breathing her in a few more times, he rolled onto his back, pulling her along with him to lie on him, their bodies staying connected.

Pushing back her hair, he pressed a kiss on her forehead, her nose, her eyes and cheeks to end at her mouth, the edge of his teeth scraping against her bottom lip.

Reaching up to touch his jaw, her mouth moved against his, "_Te amo tanto…sin ti, no podria vivir._"

He sucked on her bottom lip, his tongue pushing past her teeth to rub against her tongue, the taste of her arousal still strong.

She could feel him growing hard inside her, a pulsating soreness having her whimper, "Seth, I can't…"

"It's okay, baby," Seth kissed her top lip, his fingers buried in her hair, "I just want us to stay like this…be a part of you a little longer."

She closed her eyes, his steady heartbeat under her ear as she attempted to relax into sleep but couldn't, her body hyper-aware of his.

Seconds stretched into minutes, his fingers drawing lazy patterns down her back, hers tracing the muscles of his chest.

A moan made its way up her throat, her sensitive body vibrating with growing desire.

Breathing hard, she tilted her hips forward, the groan he let out encouraging her as she turned her head to press wet kisses against his hot skin.

Seth moved his hands down to grip her round bottom, holding her still as he said against the top of her head, "Baby, you'll be sore."

"I don't care," her breath felt cool and silky against his heated skin as she licked his flat nipple, his hands kneading her ass as she undulated her hips, inner muscles rippling around him.

Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back as a groan escaped him, his hands moving down to grip her thighs as she began a slow, steady rhythm that had him fighting for air.

It didn't take long for Rose to find out she could indeed climax again.

As for Seth…his obsession with his wife had just crossed the line into a serious addiction.

* * *

_First Week of October  
8:43AM_

The forest was quiet, a mist lingering close to the ground as the slight wet breeze left behind a fresh clean scent along with the smell of incoming rain.

**Dougie**: Dylan's joining the ARMY.

**Collin**: What? I thought he was graduating college next May.

He and Lyn were visiting his parents for the weekend so he was taking the time to re-connect with his brothers by tagging along on their morning runs.

**Brady**: He is. But he's joining the ARMY right after.

The sound of their paws landing on the forest ground was nearly silent as they made their perimeter rounds, Dougie, Brady and Collin running the Canada border while Seth and Paul covered the border between Forks and Port Angeles.

**Paul**: Why would he do that?

**Brady**: We haven't seen him in three years and he doesn't explain himself to us.

**Collin**: He's always been a lone wolf –who knows what goes on in his head anymore?

**Dougie**: He still phases, we can feel it but he's too far away for us to really pinpoint his thoughts.

No one responded as they continued their patrols, each with his own thoughts in each others' head.

A good half hour passed before Paul caught something in Seth's repertoire of thoughts.

**Paul**: Whoa! Whoa! Back up a bit. Rose is pregnant?

A few seconds then** Seth** answered: No but we've started trying. She's been off the pill for a month now.

**Dougie**: Seriously?

**Brady**: Why?

Paul snorted as **Seth** mentally rolled his eyes: It's kind of something you do when you're married, right Paul?

**Paul**: Yep.

**Collin**: Very brave of Rose.

**Seth**'s puzzlement at Collin's words as clearly transmitted to all of them: What do you mean by that?

**Collin**: Well…look at you. You're a six foot four guy with muscle to spare. You weigh, what, two fifteen?

**Seth**: Two twenty. What does that have to do with Rose being brave?

**Collin**: She's so damn small –you really think she'll be able to pop out an eight or nine pounder? Although, looking at you, it'll probably be a ten pounder.

Seth's mind flashed back to the memory of his sister in the hospital, needing a transfusion after Emmie's traumatic birth.

**Collin**: Blood loss is definitely one of the possibilities although I think, with her small size...she'll probably end up having a C-section.

**Seth**: A C-section?

**Brady**: Yeah, when they cut them open to take the baby out.

**Seth**: I know what a C-section is, dumbass. Why would Rose need one? Women are built to have babies –

**Collin**: Yeah but some women don't have the available space to push out eight pound babies.

**Dougie**: Isn't that how much Gabriel weighed when he was born?

**Seth**: Yeah, but…there's no guarantee Rose will have an eight pounder.

**Collin**: There's no guarantee she won't. You know what, there's no point to this conversation being she's not pregnant yet, right?

**Seth** mentally nodded, Collin's words going round and round in his head: Right.

**Paul**: Having babies changes everything.

**Brady**: Like what?

**Paul**: Well, during the pregnancy –she gets mean.

**Collin**: It's the hormones. They increase to help a woman's body prepare for labor.

**Paul**: Yeah, well, a guy's sex life really suffers. During pregnancy, it's…awkward.

**Collin**: You should have Rick give you some pointers.

**Paul**: Oh, fuck no.

**Seth**: Not cool, dude.

**Collin** snickered, agilely jumping from rock to rock as they made their way up the mountain: Leah's been pregnant so many times, the guy probably has it down to a science.

**Brady**: Do you remember what happened to you the last time you teased Rick about his sex life?

**Collin**: Rick's not here, is he?

**Paul**: Now, as I was saying, during pregnancy, it's awkward and after…well, you're damn lucky if you get any.

**Dougie**: Someone's sounding frustrated.

**Seth**: How long?

**Paul**: Well, the doctor said six weeks. I had to wait five months before Rachel said she was ready to try –not only that, but we went down from like six times a week with the occasional all-nighter to four times a week and no more all-nighters. It puts a guy on edge, I tell you.

**Collin**: You should change your babies' diapers more often –that should help control your libido.

They all laughed, a shimmer of energy in the air having them realize Seth had phased without letting the others know.

**Dougie**: You really went five months without sex?

**Paul** scoffed: She jumped me as soon as we got home from her six week check up. Apparently, seeing me changing my babies' diapers doesn't control her libido.

* * *

C-section…eight pound babies…blood loss…five months of no sex?

Perhaps he was being ridiculous, taking the guys seriously but if he was actually freaking out –which the idea of his Rose being in any kind of pain usually did just that –then maybe he wasn't ready to be a father yet.

Would he ever be ready? Maybe she would be okay with the idea of adopting?

Yeah, they could adopt a bunch of little babies from Uganda or somewhere out there and never have to worry about Rose having to push out an eight pound baby or him having to go without sex.

Ugh, that meant her going back on the pill…no, he'll just have to look into getting a vasectomy…which will heal.

Dammit!

Somehow, someway, they were going to figure this out but his Rose was not going to have a baby and possibly die of blood loss –no way in hell was that going to happen.

"Rose," he called out, closing the front door behind him before making his way across the living room towards the hallway.

"In the bathroom."

He headed into the master bedroom, running his fingers through his hair, "I've been thinking –maybe we should…what's wrong?"

He stopped at the doorway, his hand falling to his side at the sight of his wife standing in the middle of the bathroom, tears running down her face as she held a white pen in her hand.

Smiling at him, she sniffed as she held up the pen for him to see, her smile growing brighter with every passing second, "We're pregnant!"

Seth stared at her, shock on his face as his brain spun in all different directions, giving him the first headache he's had since the alcohol induced ones in Alaska almost four years ago, "We're what?"

"Pregnant," Rose looked down at the thing, reaching up to wipe the back of her hand against her cheek, "I was supposed to get my period last week but I didn't so I went to the store and bought one of those pregnancy test things –it's positive…we're having a baby!"

Seth caught her as she jumped into his arms, holding her tight as he tried to grasp what was going on but all he could think of was being too late…

A whole two weeks too late.

A few minutes passed before he felt a hard object pressed against his cheek. Turning his head, he grimaced, "Did you pee on that thing?"

Rose pulled back, her arms loosing around his neck as she looked at the stick, "I had too."

"And you have it pressed up against my face? Eww, get it away!"

Rose laughed as she moved back, Seth's hands on her waist as she placed the stick on the sink counter top, "What are you so grossed out about? You seem to like…having…your face…down there."

Seth laughed at the bright red blush that covered her cheeks, pulling her into his arms as he leaned his head down to whisper into her ear, "My mouth, baby. I like having my mouth on your pussy –you know, for a girl who likes it when I talk dirty, you sure have a hard time saying the words."

"Shut up," Rose blushed a deeper red, giving the side of his neck a hard pinch that had him yelp, "Stop teasing me."

"It's one of my privileges as a husband," Seth rubbed the stinging spot on the side of his neck before reaching down to cup her ass in his big hands, lifting her off the floor, "Among many others. We've got a few hours before I have to get to work –how about I teach you a few dirty words, uh?"

Rose giggled, wrapping her legs around his waist as he moved into the bedroom towards the king sized bed, "I don't think I could say them –I'm a good girl."

"Are you now," Seth gave her a one-sided smile, his brown-green eyes hot as he climbed onto the bed, squeezing her ass as he rubbed her crotch against his hard-on, "Let's see how good of a girl you are, then."

Rose laughed as he tumbled her onto her back, lifting her arms over her head so he could remove her blue top, his mouth moving down her chest to suck on her hard nipple through the silk fabric of her bra, "Seth."

"Mhm."

She stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds, "Are you happy?"

Seth stopped, lifting his head to look at her face as her eyes stared into his.

Was he happy? If he had to be honest with himself, he was terrified –terrified that he would lose his Rose in some form or another but he couldn't tell her that.

"Yeah…I'm happy."

* * *

_October 25__th_

They all clapped as he blew out the candles on his birthday cake, Leah standing up to flip the light switch back on as Vivi tugged at his arm, "What did you wish for, Uncle Seth?"

Seth grinned down at her as Rick brought the tray of drinks Leah had prepared to the table, "I can't tell or it won't come true."

"Will it come true of you tell Tia Rosa," Vivi asked, her long thick braid sliding over her shoulder as she tilted her head to the side.

"Why would I tell her?"

"'Cause you're married to her," Vivi scrambled up onto his lap –at nine years of age, she still seeked him out for hugs and cuddles, still willing to sit on his lap, "Married people don't keep secrets from each other."

Seth chuckled, a prick of guilt poking his gut as he smiled at his wife, reaching to take her hand in his and give it a squeeze –he was keeping a secret from her…one he struggled with every day since she told him about the baby but he wasn't going to say anything because she was so happy about it…to tell her how terrified he was as each day passed would have her thinking he didn't want the baby, which wasn't true.

He just wished there was another way to have the baby without putting Rose in danger.

As Leah finished cutting the cake, he caught his wife giving him pointed looks –it was time.

Lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles, he placed it back on the table before picking up his cup, "Rose and I have an announcement to make."

"Oh my God," Leah dropped the knife –it landed right in the middle of his birthday cake –her brown-green eyes big and bright, "You're pregnant!"

Seth's mouth dropped open for a few seconds before he gave his sister a scowl, "What the hell, Leah? You just stepped all over my announcement!"

He turned to look at his laughing wife, her long hair falling down her shoulders and framing her heart-shaped face, "Did you tell her?"

"No," she shook her head, laughing as Vivi scrambled off Seth's lap to run into the living room where the other kids were, "Tia Rosa's having a baby!"

Seth stood up, staring over his shoulder as Emmie let out a squeal, the front door opening as all the kids –well, except for Zaky who stayed behind with Tyra to play with her puzzles –ran out to the front yard, chanting at the top of their lungs for anyone passing by to hear, "Tia Rosa's having a baby!"

"Guess we can cancel the bonfire next week," Seth shook his head, turning to look across the table at his mother, eyebrows lowering at the tears he saw in her brown-green eyes, "What's wrong, ma?"

Sue shook her head, sniffing back a sob as she reached up to wipe the tears away from her face, "My baby's having a baby…you're going to be a Daddy."

"Yeah, I'm gonna be a Daddy," Seth's grin slowly faded as he dropped heavily onto his chair, the words finally sinking in past all the fear and terror he had inside him, "Oh, God, I'm going to be a Daddy."

They all stared at his pale face, Leah looking across the table at Rose, "When did you tell him?"

Rose reached out to grip his hand, feeling a little worried when he didn't respond, "A month ago."

The rest of them started laughing, Leah reaching out to lightly slap him back to earth, "You're just getting it now? Man, bro, you are slow."

* * *

_December 25__th__  
9:45PM_

"…_he sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night._"

Rose smiled down at him, running her fingers through his hair as he closed the book, Vivi and Marc on either side of him.

They were all on the floor, Rose leaning against the couch with Seth's head on her lap, Vivi and Marc on either side of him while Einstein kept Rose's feet warm against his side.

Setting the book on the couch, he looked down to see them asleep, smiling as he stroked his hands over their heads –they were growing up so fast.

"Want help," Rose whispered, smiling as he looked up at her, a tender softness in his brown-green eyes that had appeared soon after she started showing.

"It's alright, baby," Seth gently moved them off him, turning to press a kiss against the small baby bump no bigger than a papaya under the red sweater dress she wore, "I'll take them up to Marc's bed then come back down –we've got our own tradition to do tonight."

Rose giggled, a flush creeping up her cheeks as she watched him pick the twins up, Marc a little difficult to maneuver due to the sudden growth spurt he'd had in the past two months –the ten year old was now an easy five feet tall, having him tower over his friends and cousins…well, except for Gabriel who was only an inch or two shorter.

Watching him move towards the staircase, she pushed herself off the floor, Einstein watching her intently until she was steady on her feet before he got up, stretching his back and letting out a yawning bark before he moved to follow Seth up the stairs.

"Wait."

Rose turned to watch as Vivi wiggled to get down, her long legs taking the stairs two at a time as she came back down, "I didn't say good night to the baby."

Seth watched as Vivi rounded the couch, placing her hands on either side of Rose's small baby bump before pressing a kiss against it, "Good night baby cousin."

She grinned up at her, Rose leaning down to kiss her nose and give her a hug before gently pushing her back to the stairs, "Good night Vivi."

She followed behind Seth as he climbed up the stairs to the second floor, Marc still asleep in his arms –her brother was one heavy sleeper whenever he got the chance to go out hunting, something that didn't happen as often during the school year because of homework and t-ball…apparently, it was tough being a sixth grader.

Rose hummed to herself as she moved the blanket from the floor to spread it out under the Christmas tree, taking the box with the Nativity scene and Christmas stockings from beside the coffee table where she had placed it.

As soon as he had both of them tucked into Marc's bed, he kissed their foreheads, smiling as Vivi reached up to hug his neck, placing a kiss on his cheek before she rolled onto her side to face Marc, her small hand slipping into his as she fell asleep.

Watching them for a few minutes, he wondered how much longer they were going to be like this –sweet and dependent on each other.

In a few years, Marc was going to hit puberty –Rose already worried about having to skip him a year and finding a way to advance his age again, which at this point wasn't going to be easy –they were all too well known in Forks as well as La Push.

Brushing back the inky black hair that fell over his forehead, Seth studied the young boy a bit longer, able to see the slight signs of maturity –the defining edge to his jaw and brow, the broadening of his forehead…

Yeah, they were growing too fast.

Letting out a soft sigh, he moved across the room towards the doggie bed where Einstein laid, crouching down to give the dog a good back rub, chuckling at the satisfied sigh the bluetick hound let out, "Does it feel good, boy? You sure deserve one of these every day –don't think I haven't noticed how you look after my Rose…you're a good dog, Einstein."

Einstein gave him a doggie smile before closing his eyes in bliss, letting out another satisfied huff as Seth continued to rub his back.

It was a good five minutes before Seth returned to the living room, pushing play on the stereo, Frank Sinatra's voice singing "White Christmas" filling the living room as he watched Rose carefully hang their stockings.

Seth…Rosa…Vivi…Marc…Einstein…

"What's the sixth stocking for," he asked as he walked around the couch, stopping as soon as he was behind her, arms wrapping around her middle as she took a rattle from the box and slipped it into the blue and pink stocking, "Ah, baby's stocking."

"We don't know if it's a boy or girl yet so I didn't put a name on it," Rose moved the box from the mantle, setting it on a corner of the coffee table which was already decorated with the Nativity scene, "Dr. Lodhi said we could find out next month."

"I've been thinking," Seth kissed the side of her neck as he spread his fingers over their baby, his big hands able to cover the entire bump, "We should wait until the baby's born –he can surprise us."

"It could be a she," Rose placed her hands over his, smiling as he slowly danced her around the living room, the soft strain of Christmas music changing from one song to the next.

"A little girl," Seth smiled, gently spinning her around to face him as he looked down at her beautiful face, "One that looks just like you."

Rose reached up to frame his face in her hands, "A little boy that looks like you."

Seth chuckled, leaning down to kiss her mouth as he gently swayed her from side to side, "There's already four of those running around these parts –I think he'll need to look like you or people will think he's one of Leah's."

Rose laughed, letting out a surprised gasp as Seth lowered her onto the blanket, not having been aware of him moving her towards the Christmas tree.

Smiling down at her, he caressed her face, her long dark hair spread around her head like a halo as the Christmas lights' glow softly bathed her face, "I love you, Rosa…"

Rose smiled, reaching up to frame his jaw between her small hands, pulling his head down to kiss his mouth before whispering against it, "Say it in Spanish."

"_Te amo_."

"Now in Quileute."

"_Quo pat_."

Rose kissed his bottom lip, the tip of her tongue sliding over it before she whispered into his mouth.

"Now show me."


	34. Chapter 32

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Here's a new chapter! It's an all Julie-Lian chapter, enjoy it much! I should be updating again this weekend due to the fact that next weekend is packed with things to do so I won't have the time to update.  
**

**Gaby -kudos to you for the idea! You're an awesome idea-Beta! Love you!  
**

**Ses -Miss you much.  
**

**Inosolan -I am sorry you don't like Seth -I blame myself for that...but you love Julie and Lian so I expect a looong review for this chapter!  
**

**As usual, enjoy as you read and please review! As for me -I'm heading off to the gym!  
**

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

_December 28__th__  
New York City_

Bounding up the last flight of stairs, he took the keys out of the pocket of his leather jacket, easily finding the one to Julie's front door.

His eyebrows lowered at the faint music coming from inside the apartment, unlocking and opening the door to find his girlfriend jumping on a floor trampoline while listening to Lady Gaga.

"What the crap are you listening too?"

She looked over at him as he kicked off his shoes, the door closing behind him as he placed a dozen irises tied together with twine on the hallway table, "She's my guilty pleasure."

"Yeah, I can understand why listening to her would make you feel guilty," he moved across the polished wood floors, laughing as she turned a full three sixty in the air before coming down on the trampoline, "Do you also have Katy Perry and Pink in your song list?"

Julie nodded, out of breath as she jumped high, tucking her knees up before landing again, "As well as Kei$ha and Rihanna –jump with me!"

Lian laughed, taking her offered hand as he climbed up onto the small trampoline, several minutes of jumping passing before he asked, already out of breath, "Why are you doing this?"

"Exercise…it helps get rid of excess energy," Julie laughed, letting out a surprised scream as Lian landed on the edge of the trampoline and tumbled onto the floor, pulling her along to land on him, "Are you okay?"

Lian let out a groan, Julie pushing off his chest as he gave her a grin, "Just got the air knocked out of me."

Julie smiled down at him, her eyes widening as he groaned when he tried to move, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," Lian reached up to touch a finger to her bottom lip, "You know, I've got a better idea on how to get rid of your excess energy."

Julie laughed, her full lips spread into a grin, wisps of hair clinging to her sweaty neck as her long ponytail hung down her shoulder, "And what will that be?"

Lian waggled his eyebrows, moving to get up, letting out a groan as he laid back on the floor, "Okay, you might have to do all the work…just pull my pants down and climb on up."

Julie's surprised laugh as she slapped his chest made him laugh, his arms wrapping around her as he rolled over until she was under him, his brown eyes studying her face as their chuckles slowly faded.

Seconds passed into minutes, Julie smiling up at him as he kept staring at her, "What?"

He didn't think, simply whispered as he touched his mouth to hers, "I want to ruin you…make it impossible for you to ever think of being with anyone but me."

Julie let out a soft sigh, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck, his hands moving down the sides of her body, "I think you already have."

Lian grinned, kissing the corner of her mouth before placing a string of kisses down her throat, whispering hotly in her ear, "Why don't we make sure of that?"

* * *

_2:13AM_

He watched her sleep, his arms wrapped around her with a muscled thigh nestled between her long, slim legs, the comforter covering them as the moon peaked through the curtains.

Kissing her shoulder, he reached up to tuck a hank of hair behind her ear, moving a finger over her brow and down her nose –she was so damn beautiful.

He never thought he would find himself here again –so hopelessly in love with a woman that had the power to tear him apart.

Except this time around, it wasn't just his heart he'd invested –he knew it would be more than devastating to have her leave him…the very thought made his insides clench viciously enough to make him feel sick.

Kissing her jaw, he whispered into her ear, his heart beating hard against her shoulder blade, "I love you…I love you so damn much it literally hurts. It kills me to think of you leaving me…I die a thousand deaths every day that passes by without knowing if you feel the same way."

He pressed his hand against the left side of her chest, feeling the steady thump-thump of her heart as he laid his cheek against hers, "Does this belong to me? Your heart, your soul –are they mine as much as your body is? I wish I were brave enough to ask you face to face…to look into your eyes as you tell me how you really feel –but just thinking you might not love me…"

Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against her shoulder, his arms wrapping around her as he listened to her even breathing, fighting back the doubt that swamped him during the silent nights when it was just him with his love while she slept the night away.

A soft breath escaped her, his heart jumping into his throat as he heard her softly whisper, "I do love you, Julian."

He held his breath, his heart sinking as the seconds melted into minutes, wondering if having her say it in her sleep meant, subconsciously, she knew she loved him but had yet to make that conscious realization.

He felt her stir within the circle of his arms, turning until she faced him, her hands moving up his bare chest to frame his face, eyes bright despite the darkness as she looked at him, her words soft against his mouth, "Let me show you how much."

She pushed him onto his back, her hands silk moving over his chest, her mouth wet against his skin as she slowly explored his neck, moving down as she plotted a trail of open mouthed kisses, his stomach muscles tightening as he realized where she was heading.

Her hands left behind trails of fire wherever she touched, her mouth pushing him into a higher plane of desire as he clenched his teeth but a groan still made itself heard as she took him into her mouth, her tongue rubbing him just the right way.

He let out another groan, his hands burrowing into her hair as she hollowed her cheeks, just about ready to come into her mouth when she pulled back, shaking his hands out of her hair before straddling him.

His hands dropped to grip her hips as he kept heavy lidded eyes on her face, her pussy hot and tight around him as she sheathed him completely.

Sliding her hands up his stomach to his chest, she laid on him, her breasts pressed against his chest as she framed his face, kissing his bottom lip, never once breaking eye contact, "I love you, Julian –just you. I've never felt this all consuming love for anyone before…I'm never letting you go –ever."

"I won't let you go either," Lian moved his hands from her hips to gently grip her head, holding her still as he covered her mouth with his, their tongues dancing a dance similar to the one their bodies were dancing, Julie undulating over him, his hands moving down her back to grip her round bottom.

Time passed as they raced together towards release, their bodies slick as they shared one soul-shattering climax, a soft scream escaping her as he let out a shout.

Collapsing on him, she struggled to catch her breath, his fast beating heart echoing her own as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head, "I love you, July."

She smiled, turning her head to look at him, her purple eyes studying his face for a few seconds before she tipped her head to kiss his chin, "I love you, Julian."

Kissing her mouth, he buried a hand into her hair, his fingers cupping the back of her head as he tucked it into the crook of his neck, "Go to sleep, baby. Our flight leaves in six hours."

"Where are we going," Julie tried to lift her head to look at him but he didn't let her, a second or two ticking by before she relaxed into him, his fingers rubbing her scalp making her sleepy.

"It's a surprise," Lian rested his jaw against the top of her head, closing his eyes as he let out a satisfied sigh, a feeling of buoyancy filling him with assurance that he was in the right place as sleep slowly creeped in, "You'll have to trust me 'cause you'll be blindfolded."

"The entire way?"

He smiled at the tone of incredulity in her voice, "Until I get you where I want you, yes."

Silence hung in the air before she pressed a kiss over his beating heart.

"Okay."

* * *

_Dublin, Ireland  
December 31__st__  
11:45PM_

"This is getting silly," Julie held on tight to Lian's gloved hand as he led her down a street, the cold wind nipping at her nose, the rest of her face kept warm by a scarf he had wrapped around her neck and a silk blindfold over her eyes, "I understand the airport, the plane –even the hotel but why would you blindfold me while we're walking the street?"

"Because you've been here before," Lian tucked her hand into the pocket of his black coat as he turned a corner, the quiet solitude of the cobbled street practically taking him back in time to their first shared New Year, "If you pay close attention to the silence, let the atmosphere soak in, you just might guess where we are."

Julie stayed quiet as they continued walking, feeling the cold little bites of snowflakes brushing against her face, the quiet sound of the wind as it gently blew through empty streets…it was all very familiar.

"It's gonna get a bit slippery, baby, so hold on tight," Lian kept her hand in his pocket but removed his to wrap an arm around her narrow waist, his other hand held tightly in her free on as they went up a slight incline, "Have you guessed where we are yet?"

She smiled as they walked down a slight decline, the snow softly crunching under her boots, "I think I have…"

Lian chuckled, a thrumming magic surrounding them as they walked several feet before the fresh smell of pine filled her nose as far off cheers broke the silence –it was officially midnight on this side of the world.

"I have a mission for you," Lian stopped, letting go of her hand to move behind her, his lips brushing her ear as he undid the knot of the blindfold, "There are five candles I need you to find."

"Out of three hundred and sixty five," Julie's voice had that tone of incredulity that always made him smile, removing the blindfold before wrapping his arms around her as he explained, "They have a ribbon around them –five different colors for five different promises I make to you this new year –promises I plan on keeping for the rest of my life."

Julie's lips curved into a soft smile as she tilted her head back to look up at him, his dark brown eyes filled with love and something else she couldn't quite pinpoint, "Do I need to find them in a particular order?"

He smiled, kissing her nose before letting her go, "Yellow, blue, green, purple and red –read it then blow out the candle to make it come true."

Laughing, she went into the pine trees, weaving around them as she searched the hundreds of candles nestled in the evergreen boughs.

A flash of yellow caught her attention and she backtracked, reaching above her head for a candle with a yellow ribbon, easily undoing the bow to remove the small rolled up strip of paper.

It was a bit of a challenge but she managed to unroll it while holding the candle, the flame flickering and dancing as she read the words penned in Lian's handwriting:

_I promise to always make you laugh._

She smiled, carefully rolling it up before slipping it, and the ribbon, into the pocket of her coat as she blew out the candle.

As soon as the wax cooled, she slipped it into her pocket as well, already searching among the shimmering points of light, going around one tree then another before catching sight of a candle with a blue ribbon tied around it nestled in a low bough of a ten foot pine tree.

Crouching down, she carefully picked up the candle, undoing the ribbon to remove the strip of paper.

_I promise to help you make your dreams come true._

She sucked in a breath, looking around but he was nowhere in sight.

Blinking back tears, she carefully slipped the paper and ribbon into her pocket before blowing out the candle, her voice trembling slightly as she asked into the silence, "Which one's next?"

His voice carried in the cold air, the big open space amplifying it slightly and making it hard for her to pinpoint where he was, "The green one."

Placing the candle into her pocket, she moved around the tree, catching a glimpse of him as he moved around a tree opposite of where she was –he was mirroring her every step.

Smiling, she turned her attention back to her search, feeling the hard thump of her heart against her chest as she seeked among the candles, biting her lip when she caught sight of the red ribbon but she had to bypass it –she had to find the green one first.

Several minutes later, she found the green ribbon tied around the candle.

_I promise to hold you when you need to cry._

She sniffed back a sob, her heart expanding as she blew out the candle –this man truly knew the meaning of romance.

"The purple one is next."

Sniffing again, she placed the paper, ribbon and candle into her half full pocket, eager to find the next one.

It took her a little longer but she finally found it, tucked behind another candle.

She was carefully not to tip the other candle, the ribbon fluttering open as she pulled at it, a the strip of paper unrolling between her fingers as a bit of wax dripped onto her glove.

_I promise to stand by you, no matter what._

One more –she had one more to find and she could let herself cry.

Blowing out the candle, she placed it into her pocket along with the ribbon and paper, re-tracing her steps to an eight foot tree at the edge of the small clearing in the middle of the trees, her hands trembling slightly as she picked up the candle, pulling the red ribbon to free the promise it held in place.

_I promise to love you through anything and everything._

She took a shuddering breath, blowing out the candle as tears blurred her vision, Lian's voice behind her having her spin around in surprise.

"Don't cry yet."

The tears spilled over, silently rolling down her cold cheeks as she pressed trembling fingers against her mouth.

He was down on one knee, the flames of the three hundred and sixty candles bringing out brilliant rainbows from the multifaceted round diamond, the smaller diamonds embedded in the band glinting just as brightly.

"This ring –" he stared into her purple eyes, his heart beating hard against his chest as he swallowed with some difficulty before starting again, "This ring –it's a promise that I will love you –always…I will honor you in everything I do and say."

The snow was falling softly, dusting his dark hair as he took a deep breath, so nervous he wasn't even aware of his hands getting numb from the cold –he had take his gloves off to be able to hold the ring without dropping it.

"July Star Nelson…"

She tried holding back a sob but it escaped, her red gloves soaking up the tears streaming down her face.

"Will you do me the honor...of becoming my wife?"


	35. Chapter 33

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Here's the next chapter, as promised! Please, trust me...that's all I ask as y'all read through this chapter. I have it all planned out and believe me, it will be good.  
**

**Gaby -love you darling! Please don't hate me.  
**

**Chelsea, Blondie -thank you for your awesome reviews. Even when they're short, they still make me happy.  
**

**As usual, enjoy as you read (try to, at least) and review (I'll take the hits for this one willingly)  
**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

_18 Years Ago, February 7__th__  
Loutsa, Greece_

…_the house was quiet as he closed the door behind him, "Lena! I'm home!"_

_He tossed his briefcase onto the couch even though he knew it would make his mother-in-law angry, eager to see his wife as he made his way towards the kitchen to get to the stairs that led to the third floor he shared with her._

"_I'm in the kitchen."_

_He was scowling by the time he turned the corner into the kitchen, his scolding halfway through, "You're supposed to be on bed rest. Doctor Meta…what? Lena…"_

_She smiled at him, a bruised look in her blue-green eyes as she stood up, the blanketed bundle in her arms squirming, "He was born three days ago."_

_He stared at the tiny hand that waved into sight before disappearing into the blankets, soft sucking sounds filling the silence before he looked at her, "Three days ago?"_

_She nodded, moving closer so he could see his son for the first time, "I'm sorry you weren't here."_

"_Why didn't you call me?"_

_She looked up from her son's face, surprise on her own as a gold curl tumbled over her cheek to tangle in her long lashes, "Mana called you –she said you were too busy at the university to come."_

"_What," he shook his head, his gut twisting with anger –he knew Ileana's mother didn't like him, never had, but for her to blatantly lie about something as important as his son's birth –"She never called me, Lena. I called yesterday and she told me you were asleep and that everything was fine."_

_She sniffed, looking into her baby's bright blue eyes –identical to his father's –as she fought back tears of betrayal, finally looking up at him with a smile, "I'm sorry. I thought….do you want to hold him?"_

_He nodded, his heart squeezing painfully as she gently settled their baby into his arms, the light blond hair covering his tiny head soft against his fingertips as he slowly explored his face._

_He felt it when his son's tiny fingers gripped his, felt his heart split open to let in a love bigger than himself, "What did you name him?"_

"_Nicolai…Nicolai Frederick Laskaris."_

_Hello Nicolai…I'm your father…_

…_sweet high giggles filled the small living room, pudgy legs kicking as he tickled his round belly, baby Nic waving his arms as he gave his Daddy a toothless grin._

"_I'm going to miss you, little man," he dipped his head to blow a raspberry on his round tummy, eliciting another round of giggles, "Don't do anything important while I'm gone, okay?"_

_The five month old gurgled in agreement, his big blue eyes bright as he waved his arms and legs, his entire body expressing the joy of having his father there…_

…_he watched him toddle across the living room, holding a book in both hands, his little toes curled against the cool marbled floor, small white teeth showing as he placed the book on his lap, giving him a hopeful look, "Anag…anag…"_

"_You want me to read to you, uh," he set aside the paperwork he had been working on, looking up at the clock on the wall –he still had some hours before having to head back to the university._

_Picking up the book, he lifted his one year old son onto his lap, smiling as the little boy cuddled into his side._

_Halfway through the book, he looked down to find his son staring up at him, blue eyes studying his face before he shyly smiled…_

…_he laughed as the two year old ran across the yard towards him, picking him up and swinging him around, "I missed you so much, Nico! Did you miss me?"_

"_Lots," Nic wrapped his arms around his father's neck as soon as he set him on his arm, "Landy played with me all week."_

_He laughed as he took out his briefcase and duffel bag from the trunk of the car, closing it with Nico's help before heading to the small house he shared with his wife and son, "You must have driven your mother crazy."_

_Nic giggled, his small head lying on his father's broad chest, "She said together we're worst than the Titans."_

_Having been witness to the trouble Nicolai and his cousin Lyandros could get into, he was in agreement…_

…_he clung to his father's legs, small hands gripping the fabric of his pants as he gave him a pleading look, "Don't go, Daddy."_

_Setting the duffel bag into the opened trunk of his car, he picked up the four year old until they were looking eye to eye, "I have to go, buddy. But I promise you the week will go by fast and I'll be here before you can miss me."_

"_I always miss you," his bottom lip poked out as he tugged at the tie Daddy was wearing, hugging his neck as soon as he pulled him into a hug, his rumbling words meant to make him feel better, "I always miss you too but you know what?"_

"_What?"_

_He smiled into his son's blue eyes, reaching up to brush back the light blond hair from his small forehead, "I'm always thinking of you –every day. So it's like I have you with me all the time."_

"_I think of you every day too."_

_He smiled at his little boy, stroking his thumb over his baby soft cheek, "Then I'm with you every day…take care of your mother until I come back, okay?"_

"_Okay."_

_Giving him one last hug and kiss, he lowered him onto the ground, watching with a smile as the little boy turned to cling to his mother's legs…_

…_the smell of burning flesh still hung in the air as he stood stock still, his eyes dry as he kept his jaw clenched tight, the wooden frame digging into his palm due to the force he held it with._

_The mound of dirt at his feet was freshly turned, the quiet woods surrounding him somehow accompanying him in this painful moment but Rick didn't take comfort in that._

_He had spent all morning and most of the day burying his family…_

_His grandmother Delia, always with a word of advice to offer…_

_Cousin Harmonia, always quick with a racy joke…_

_Nephew Elias, his sweet smiles all the sweeter due to the only two teeth he had…_

_Great Uncle Stavros, reminding him time and again how a man belonged beside his wife…_

_Amery…his sweet little sister…who had just fallen in love, for the fiftieth time…_

_His beautiful mother…_

_He had buried Ileana last, dying inside as he placed her into the cold hard ground, her beautiful face so still and pale, having been spared from the greedy fire by a collapsed wall._

_And in her arms…_

_If only he'd been able to see Nicolai's face one last time…but he had been cursed in a way that completely obliterated the memories of love, happiness –the utter joy of his little boy…_

…

_Present Day, February 4__th_

Leah sucked in a sharp breath, her heart squeezing painfully as soon as she stepped into the living room.

The waves of grief and desolation rolling off of Rick nearly had her on her knees, a hand against the wall keeping her on her feet as she fought for control –she couldn't let herself be overwhelmed or she'd be leaving him alone in his emotional hell.

Moving across the living room towards the couch where he was sitting, she tucked her leg under her to sit sideways, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as he turned to lay his head on her shoulder, his eyes never leaving the picture framed in dark wood, his thumb rubbing the glass, "Today's his eighteenth birthday…I never got to see him grow into a man."

Stroking his hair, she pressed a kiss against the top of his head, her words soft as she tightened her arms around him, "He would have been a wonderful man…with you for a father –"

Rick shook his head, his hair tickling her throat, "I was a selfish man, Leah. Even with Ileana smoothing out the rough edges, I failed him in so many ways…"

"Rick –"

"I spent so little time with him," Rick closed his eyes, his long fingers tightening around the edges of the frame, "And now all I have of him is this…I found it in the rubbish left behind, the glass broken but the picture intact…it almost felt like a mockery."

The silence hung heavy between them, Rick closing his eyes as he let himself relax into her arms, her soft breath stirring the small hairs on the back of his neck.

"You never cried for him."

It wasn't a question but simply a statement made from knowing him for almost ten years.

"Some hurts are too deep…too raw…tears won't come…they won't heal…"

Pulling him tighter into her, she leaned back into the couch, Rick following until they laid together, the soft ticking sound of the clock the only sound in the small house.

Leah had given the construction workers a two hour break to put their children down for their naps, Gabe outside in his bicycle.

It was chaos in their home right now, the frame of the second level finally completed and the walls going up, the constant banging and cutting keeping the kids and Leah on edge.

Another few months and they would have their home back but for now, two hours a day of quiet and solitude would have to make due.

"All he knew was love, Rick," Leah rubbed his back, her jaw pressed against the back of his head as she shifted slightly to get comfortable under his heavy weight, "The love of his father and his mother, the love of his grandparents, his aunts and uncles, his cousins…he was such a lucky boy…even I love him even though I only know him through your memories."

Rick set the frame on the coffee table, turning until he was face to face, keeping his head on her chest as he wrapped his arms around her, "I love you, Lee. You and our children…"

"I know, baby," Leah kept stroking his hair, her arms around his shoulders, uncertain of how to help him with the pain still throbbing inside him, going with her gut as she softly asked, "What was it like? The first time you held him?"

"He was so small," Rick smiled against her shoulder, the memories flooding him as he let himself feel them for the first time in years, "Big blue eyes…hair so blond it was almost white…I was so scared…this little person, he was mine…my responsibility…my son. It was my job to care for him, love him –teach him the right path…I was supposed to protect him."

Hugging him tighter, she swallowed past the lump in her throat, her voice husky, "You did the best you could, Rick."

He fought back the pain flooding him without success, a tear breaking free to roll down his cheek and drip onto Leah's neck, "I could have done better."

And the dam broke, his body shaking as the tears kept coming, Leah holding on to him as she cried with him.

It seemed like an eternity before the tears abated, Rick's tense body slowly relaxing against hers, his voice hoarse as he whispered tiredly, "Don't leave me."

"Never, baby," Leah whispered into his hair, feeling the exhaustion he was feeling –to have let himself break and release that much pain was tiring, to say the least, "I'll never leave you."

As the minutes ticked by, they both slowly succumbed to sleep, the soft ticking of time the only sound in the small house for the next hour and a half.

* * *

_Brindisi, Italy  
__February 23rd_

**OMG! They're Engaged!  
**_February Edition_

_To all you Lian Young –July Star fans, have we got some news for you!_

_They're engaged!_

_Check out the close up of her left hand –the picture was taken at the Staples Center when they walked the red carpet for the Grammy Awards Ceremony on February 10__th__._

_July Star looked beautiful in a red off-the-shoulder dress that hugged her slim curves, the hem falling in a diagonal line that ended mid-calf, red Jimmy Choo stilettos making her legs look long and sleek._

_Her long red-brown hair was a waterfall of curves over her right shoulder, displaying a backless view of the dress, giving her an all around glamorous look._

_Lian Young –well, most of you ladies know that man looks hot in anything._

_To see him in a well-tailored Hugo Boss suit, the top button of his white shirt undone and no tie in sight probably fueled a lot of fantasies in many a girl's head but as it is obvious, the only one letting this man be boss from now on will be July Star._

_The ring is reported to be a multi-faceted two carat diamond, the silver band a-symmetrical yet elegant, three fourth carat diamonds embedded along the slim band –it is indeed a unique ring for a unique girl._

_Sources have it Young flew Star all the way to Ireland to propose at the turn of the new year…what a wonderful way to start the year, don't you think?_

_The Hollywood Reporter was able to snag the happy couple for a few seconds before they disappeared into the Staples Center._

_When asked about the ring, Young grinned as he looked at Star, "She's made me the happiest man on earth."_

_They have yet to set a date._

_As for the awards –they snagged a combined total of nine Grammys!_

_Their duo CD –released last November –won Best Record of the Year, the cover song 'Give Into Me' snagging Song of the Year._

_Star raked in two Grammys of her own as Female Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year while Young got himself Best Male Country Vocal Performance, Best Country Performance and Best Country Song ('Come Over' release last March) –he graciously lost Songwriter of the Year to his fiancée._

_Their duo video for 'Give Into Me' won Video of the Year while Young's newly released video, ''Til My Last Day' got him Best Concept Music Video._

_If ever there was a power couple in the music business, these two are it –good thing they seem to have as much love between them as they have fame, money and talent._

_From all your fans, we wish both of them the best –they are obviously made for each other._

_Congratu –_

The newsprint crumbled in her hands, manicured nails tearing through the smiling faces as she let out a frustrated scream, "That damn bastard!"

Tossing the crumbled tabloid into the trash can beside her vanity, she yanked a wet wipe and rubbed her hands clean as the bedroom door opened, her green eyes flashing as she turned to glare at him.

Raising an eyebrow, he removed his jacket, his dark hair tousled, "You're going to get wrinkles before your time if you keep frowning like that."

Tossing the used wipe into the trash can, she stood up, the silk robe she wore over her nightgown brushing the floor, "I can't believe he actually proposed to her…that damn bitch actually has him believing in love again."

He chuckled as he moved into the large walk-in closet, his voice carrying into the large master bedroom, "Did you actually think you did so much damage he would never be willing to discover what love truly is?"

"That was my intent," moving across the floor, she stood before the bedroom window, the rolling hills of the Italian villa she had bought with her first alimony check stretching for miles, "Every money grabbing whore he was with assured me I had succeeded but this one…this one's different."

"As in, she's not a money grabbing whore," he walked out, wearing pajama bottoms and nothing else, "July Star has her own money –she has no need for your ex's."

"And yet, she's going to be getting it," turning, she leaned against the window, arms crossed over her chest as she watched him pull back the comforter and sheets of the bed they shared, "As soon as they're declared husband and wife, I'm screwed."

"Yes, darling, you are," he piled his pillows against the headboard before getting into bed, pulling out a book from the bedside drawer, "And now, your meal ticket's going to expire. I told you to be smart about the money you were getting but you didn't listen."

"Your job was to get me that money," she stomped her foot, moving across the bed to yank back the covers from her side of the bed, "I don't understand why you didn't find a way to get rid of that ridiculous marriage clause."

"The judge was willing to go only so far," he kept his eyes on his book, turning a page before he spoke again, "You could have bled him dry and let it go but you wanted to be permanently wedged into his life –amusing, isn't it? Now it's coming to bite you in the ass."

She let out a low growl, tossing a pillow at him, her anger rising as he simply batted it aside, "If you think I'm just going to sit back and do nothing, you've got something else coming."

"I don't care either way as long as you don't tell me," he finally looked up, his grey eyes expressing boredom over her tantrum, "As your lawyer, I do need to advise you that any premeditated planning can and will be discovered."

She let out a deep breath, sitting on the side of the bed as she stared out the window, her shoulders slumping, "I actually thought…when I first met him, I thought I could love him…I thought I could be one of those women able to give herself completely to a man…"

"People like us don't love, Camille," he turned the page, his eyes moving over the words, "We are takers, not givers –the reason why you and I work so well together…we never expect anything from each other."

Her chin dropped to her chest, her eyes on her hands as they hung limply between her knees, "Because we don't deserve anything…"

"Stop being so melodramatic," he closed the book, setting it on the bedside table before reaching across the bed and fisting his hand into her long blond hair, pulling her back until she laid with her head on his lap, "You now know what the problem is –find a way to fix it…or stop bitching."

"There will be no wedding," her jaw tightened as he undid the belt of her robe to pull it open, "Unless he has made arrangements for his half of his money, it should all go to me if something happens to him."

"Whatever you're planning, darling," he leaned down to lick her bottom lip, "You're on your own…I only come into the picture when it's time to tell you to shut up."

Reaching up, she grabbed a fistful of his dark hair, slamming his mouth down on hers, their tongues demanding control from each other, neither giving in.

"Fuck me," she growled, a gasp escaping her as he yanked at the neck of her gown, the delicate straps snapping.

"Of course," he grabbed her jaw, turning her head as he pulled his pajamas down, "It is the only thing you know, after all…well, fucking _and _money."

Her thoughts spun as she opened for him, his hands fisted in her hair as he used her mouth.

The wedding couldn't happen –it wasn't going to happen.

Of that, she would make sure.


	36. Chapter 34

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I know...so soon! I'm on a roll! The honest truth is I'll be too busy to update next weekend so this is my way of making up for it. As stated within the chapter, the paragraph in the last part comes from J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' and it belongs to her and no one else.  
**

**Gaby -loved your review! Hope this one makes you sorta happy with me...maybe not.  
**

**Inosolan - thank you for your reviews! Can I have one more?  
Chelsea, Lette, Blondi, DripDrop and all you others -please, more reviews. This is what happens when I get so many reviews!  
**

**Ppani -you're falling behind girlie!  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and please review...and now, I'm off to the gym!  
**

**Chapter Thirty-Four**  
_First Week of May_

"Was this a good idea or what?"

"A year in the making," Rachel shook her head as she watched her girls playing in the dollhouse set on the Clearwater's front yard, one year old Eden Marie sitting amongst the flowers, happily yanking them out –good thing Embry had Emmie busy somewhere else or she'd be throwing a fit, "A Birthday Festival –brilliant idea Leah."

"Of course," Leah carefully set out the individual cupcakes she'd made for Gabe, Emmie and Zaky's birthday, Emily on the front yard next door setting up two cakes, one for the twins and the other for Lili, "I'm always the one with the brilliant ideas."

"I'm sure it has to do with all the brainpower in your home," Daisy opened the small box that contained her daughter's birthday cake –she was yet to turn two but this was a celebration of birthdays for the year so why the heck not. It's not like her one year old was going to know the difference.

Rachel and Kim laughed, both of them sitting on lawn chairs as they watched the plethora of kids running to and from yards, riding their bicycles on the street.

They had been planning this Birthday Festival for over a year now, gotten permission from the council to close off the street Rose and Seth lived in, got eager cooperation from the neighbors to allow the use of their front yards to set up stations for cake, punch and games.

Brandon and Paul where on the neighbor's yard, manning the grills for hot dogs and hamburgers while Daisy and Rachel set up the cake and punch on a table in the driveway between the houses.

"So when's the construction going to get done, Lee," Kim looked over her shoulder at her friend, watching as she carefully finished placing all the green, blue and purple cupcakes on the large round platter.

"It's all done, we just need to get the painting finished," Leah looked up at her with a smile, licking frosting off a finger as Rick came up behind her, laughing as he whispered into her ear, "Do that again."

Taking a bit of frosting from one of the cupcakes, she turned around, giving him a teasing grin as she sucked it off her finger.

"Oh," Collin walked up the driveway, several wrapped gifts in his arms, "Are we going to be having baby number seven soon?"

"You're lucky I'm holding this," Rick gestured towards the cake in his hands, the twins' names written in red frosting across the top –Granma Sue had baked and decorated that one.

"Oh, come on, Rick," Collin set the gifts on the table assigned for them, turning a big grin towards the other Alpha in the reservation, "Don't you miss it? We used to have something, you and I…then you tied me up in a tree."

Lyn laughed as she set the gifts she held on the table, one of them tumbling down to the grass, "I still find it so funny, them tying you to a tree."

"It wasn't funny," Collin frowned at her, dancing brown eyes letting her know he wasn't really upset, "It was traumatic."

"Did you like tying him up, Rick," Lyn wrapped her arms around Collin's as she gave Rick a teasing smile, Leah taking the cake from him to set it beside the cupcakes, "I know I do."

Rick actually blushed, Leah laughing as he turned and walked back into the house, Tyra following after him as she usually did whenever he was home.

"I knew you would turn out to be a sexual deviant," Rachel shook her head at Lyn, pushing herself to her feet –she was so tired, not sure if it was because of her very energetic two year olds or because there was a possibility she might be pregnant again, "It's what happens when you're made to wait so long to lose your virginity."

They all laughed, Zaky running up to the table to look at the cupcakes and cake, "Mama, can I have a cupcake?"

Leah chuckled, taking one of the blue ones and handing it to him, "Here you go, baby. Where's your sister?"

Zaky gave her a smile because he knew she was just testing him, "With Daddy."

She laughed, reaching across the table to tousle his hair, "You're a good big brother. Go play with your friends."

He nodded, biting into his cupcake, frosting on his upper lip as he turned to run back to his friends from school.

"That's one sweet boy," Daisy said with a smile, standing up to run to the flower beds where her daughter was, "Eden, no! Don't eat that!"

They all laughed, watching as one year old Eden, with her mother's big blue eyes and her father's dark hair and complexion, gave her mother a startled look before she started to cry.

"She'll eventually learn dirt and grass are the least of her worries as to what her child will eat," Rachel moved towards Rose and Seth's house, Paul having set up a table for the food –it was time to bring out the buns and condiments, "Skye actually swallowed forty six pennies before Paul caught her."

Leah laughed, turning to take the last cake Rick had brought out –the one for Tyra which was interesting to say the least –the three year old had insisted on decorating her own cake.

"Whoa," Sam walked up the walkway, a huge box in his arms. Setting it by the other gifts, he looked at the cake as Leah set it next to the other one, "Lots of sprinkles on that cake."

"Lots and lots of sprinkles," Tyra nodded as she looked up at him, her blond hair tied into pigtails with purple ribbons hanging from them, "I like sprinkles."

"I can see that," Sam leaned down and picked her up, tossing her up into the air as she let out a belly laugh, giving her cheek a kiss before setting her down, "It looks delicious. Did you help?"

"Uh-hu," Tyra tilted her head back to look up at her Daddy, giggling when he tickled her exposed throat, "Daddy helped too."

"Ah, now I understand the whole abstract concept then," Sam laughed as he pulled out a letter from his back pocket, handing it to Leah as Gabe came running up the yard, followed by Marc, Bailey and Brad, "Mama, who's the big gift for?"

"I believe it's for you," Leah looked at the front of the letter, shaking her head with a laugh, "Lian and Julie send it to you all the way from New York."

"Can I open it now;" ten year old Gabe looked up at his mother with a pleading look, "Can I? Can I, please?"

"I guess," Leah opened the letter, reading the words out loud as Gabe ripped into the paper with the help of his cousins, "Dear Leah, recall when I was ten? You made me cry. You laughed when I told you I would get my revenge. Well, cousin, here it is. Enjoy!"

Leah looked up just as Gabe let out an excited shout, "Cool! A drum set!"

Leah's mouth dropped open as everyone else laughed, Tyra watching with interest as Gabe tried to open the box, "That bastard!"

Sam shook his head as he slid his hands into the back pockets of his jeans, Emily joining them as she shook her head, looking at Leah with a sympathetic smile, "He send the twins trumpets –for making him wear nail polish."

Leah and Emily laughed, both recalling the torture they'd put their little brothers through when they were younger, "We're lucky Seth is so forgiving."

"Nah," Seth walked up the drive, a large cake box in his hands, "I just haven't the genius Lian has for revenge but when you least expect it, I'll pay you back for that."

"Did you pick that cake up from the bakery," Leah took the cake box from him as he nodded, placing it on the picnic table beside Tyra's –they were officially out of space, "Where's Rose?"

"Taking pictures," Seth shrugged as he looked over his shoulder, easily catching his wife –his very pregnant wife –as she walked down the street, occasionally stopping to take pictures of the kids, the families, the cakes –anything that caught her attention, she took a picture of, "She told me to go to hell when I told her she should take a nap."

The laughter was instantaneous, Leah shaking her head as she pulled out the cake –a pink and white combination with Vivi's name across the top.

Marc still refused to have his birthday celebrated –something that just might work considering Rose and Seth were looking into skipping him right into thirteen next year.

"She's turned out to be quite mean," Seth shook his head as he crossed his arms, watching her move down the street towards the swing set they had moved to the front from their backyard along with the dollhouse–Vivi and Nika were sitting on the swings, talking about whatever interested ten year old girls, "Last week, I made the mistake of wrapping my arms around her and commenting how my fingertips barely touched…my balls still hurt."

"She kicked you in the gonads," Leah's mouth dropped open in surprise, leaning back into Rick's arms as he wrapped his own arms around her.

"Punched me," Seth placed his hands on his hips, watching as Vivi and Nika posed for Rose, the little girls pulling out the diva and making his wife laugh, "I think she was aiming for my stomach but she's so damn short, she missed."

They all laughed, Rose moving across the yard towards them, holding her camera in one hand, the other on her belly –the poor girl looked ready to pop.

"Will you hold this," Rose handed him her camera, her free hand automatically going to the small of her back, "I need to pee…I always need to pee –it's like this kid's sitting right on my bladder."

"Emmie used mine as a trampoline," Leah gave her sister-in-law a sympathetic look –it's been three years since she was last pregnant but she could still recall the discomfort of the last few weeks, "I would be fine then out of nowhere, I would need to find the nearest bathroom –fast."

"At least you have longer legs," Rose ambled up the porch steps, slapping Seth's hand away as he followed behind her to help her, "I'm not an invalid Seth. I can walk up the porch steps on my own."

Seth stood on the front porch as the front door closed behind her, turning to give his family and friends a forlorn look, "Please tell me this will all be over soon."

They chuckled, Collin shaking his head as he looked at Seth, "I hadn't seen her in months –she's huge."

"She's not that big," Rachel came back from setting up the food table, Paul following behind her, their twins coming out of the dollhouse as soon as they caught sight of their father, "She just looks big because she's petite."

"That baby's going to be an easy eight pounds," Collin's face was set in a serious look, Paul catching the twinkle in his eye as he replied, "What are you talking about, eight pounds? I'm thinking closer to nine."

"I've got fifty bucks on nine pounds, twelve ounces," Brandon walked up to join them, Eden Marie in his arms, the little girl's face freshly scrubbed from a trip to the bathroom with her mama.

"Oh, I'll take that bet," Sam grinned as he watched Lili playing tag with Emmie and Embry –that guy was seriously whipped, "Fifty on ten pounds even."

"What," Seth's eyes widened, his face going pale as Rick spoke up, "I've got fifty on ten pounds three ounces."

"You okay, Seth," Leah grinned as she looked at her brother –the poor guy looked about ready to pass out.

"There's no way –no way a baby can be ten pounds," Seth shook his head, setting the camera down on the railing, "No way."

"I delivered a ten pounder last week," Collin's face split into a wide grin, Lyn shaking her head as she chuckled, "The kid looked like a two month old."

"Oh God," Seth looked around the front porch before turning to go into the house, "I think I'm going to be sick."

They all started laughing as soon as the door closed behind him, Leah shaking her head, "You guys are assholes."

"Watch your language in front of our child," Rick scolded her, looking over at Tyra who was busy picking up the gifts and shaking them before setting them back down.

"One hundred dollars the baby will be five pounds, ten ounces."

They all looked up as Sue walked up the drive, Charlie behind her holding several gifts in his arms.

"Wow, ma," Leah stepped out of Rick's arms to hug her mother, "Don't you think you're under-guessing there?"

Sue shrugged, setting the gifts she had on top of more gifts before picking Tyra up for a hug, the little girl wrapping her arms around her grandmother's neck before planting a big smacking kiss on her cheek, "It's my prerogative to guess whatever I want. Are you guys in?"

"A hundred bucks," Brandon looked down at Daisy who lifted a shoulder before looking at Sue, "You're on."

"Bring it," Paul tossed Skye up into the air, her laughter making him grin as he caught her and set her down to pick up Marilynn for her turn.

"Easy money, I think," Sam nodded, wrapping his arms around Emily, "There's no way that baby's going to be less than eight pounds."

Rick nodded in agreement, crouching down as Alyx and Andrey ran up the yard towards him, the boys' faces covered in dirt and frosting and Zeus only knew what else, "I'm in."

"Delivery for a…Gabriel Laskaris?"

Leah looked up as the delivery guy walked up the sidewalk towards them, a truck parked at the end of the street behind the barricade, "I'm his mother."

"Could you sign here, please," he handed her the clipboard, waiting patiently as she looked over the sender's information, her mouth spreading into a smile as she signed the delivery note.

"Who's it from?"

She looked over at her husband, "The Cullen's –specifically speaking, Emmett."

"Wonder what he send this time," Rick finished wiping the twins' faces as best as he could, the little boys running off and disappearing into the crowd of kids on the street.

"As long as it's not –"

"A MOTORIZED DIRT BIKE!"

Leah couldn't hold back her response as she watched her ten year old son, his cousins and his friends swarm around a shiny motorized bike with a big red bow tied to the handlebars, "Son of a bitch!"

Tyra looked up at her father, tugging his pants' leg until he picked her up, "Daddy?"

"Yes Tyra."

"What's a bitch?"

"Leah!"

* * *

She dragged the toe of her sneaker in the grass as the swing swayed, "He's nice to me one day and then the next, he just ignores me."

Nika gave her best friend a sympathetic smile, slightly pushing herself back before letting the swing take her forward, "Boys are strange, Vivi. Remember the boy that would take my Twinkies?"

"Yeah," Vivi leaned her head against her hand, the chain digging into her palm as she drew patterns on the grass, the white toe of her pink and white Converse sneaker turning green, "Does he still take your Twinkies?"

"Not anymore," Nika shook her head, her dark hair held back by barrettes –it was too straight and too fine for her to be able to keep it in a ponytail, "Now he sits next to me in class and he wants to be in my group for projects."

"I think he likes you," Vivi lifted her face to give her best friend a teasing smile, her long red hair in a braid down her shoulder, "Is he cute?"

Nika giggled, her brown eyes dancing as she lifted a shoulder, "He's okay…but I don't like him. Not like that."

"Maybe if he gives you all your Twinkies back."

They laughed, Nika blushing as she caught sight of the boy coming towards them, "Here he comes. Don't say anything."

"Hey Nika."

Nika smiled at the boy, "Hi Davy. This is my best friend Vivi."

Davy looked over at Vivi, his brown eyes growing wide as he looked into her gold-brown eyes, "You don't go to our school."

Vivi shook her head, giving him a shy smile as she pushed back with her toe, "I go to school in Forks."

"Are you going to be in sixth grade too?"

She nodded, looking over his shoulder to watch Gabriel –he was still arguing with his mother about the motorized dirt bike Emmett had send for his birthday…looked like Aunt Leah didn't want him to have it.

"Do you want a push?"

"Uh," she turned her eyes back to Davy, blushing as he asked again, "Uhm…okay."

Moving between the girls as they looked at each other, he took the chains of the swing Vivi was sitting on, pulling back and letting go before moving behind Nika to give her a push too.

Gabriel was about ready to scream –it was his gift, why couldn't he have it, "Mama, I won't get hurt!"

"You're ten years old –you're still too young for a motorized dirt bike. That's why I haven't bought you one."

"Like you would ever buy me one," he snorted, letting out a yelp when Marc stomped on his foot, "What the hell?"

"Don't talk to her like that," Marc gave him a frown before smiling up at his mother – kiss ass.

"Mama," Gabriel tried another tactic, looking up at her with a serious face, "I won't use it until you think I'm old enough but please, let me just…"

"He wants to explore the bike," Bailey rolled her eyes at her cousin, giving her aunt a hopeful look, "We all do. We promise we won't turn it on."

"Alright," Leah let out a huff as she let go of the handle bars, Gabriel's grip on the back wheel loosening as well, "I'll take the keys, then. Marc, you're in charge of this bike for today, okay?"

"What," Gabriel exclaimed as he reluctantly handed the keys to his mother, giving her a look of suffering, "It's my bike –why is he in charge?"

"Because I know he won't disobey me, unlike you," Leah leaned down to cup his face, whispering for him alone, "I promise, when you turn twelve, you can have it."

Gabriel nodded, giving her cheek a quick kiss, his face flushing as his friends snickered but he didn't care –he loved his mama even when she took his cool stuff away.

Hearing a familiar laugh, he looked over his shoulder, watching for a few seconds as Vivi and Nika swung up into alternating arcs, a dark haired boy from the rez school he knew as Davy pushing Nika's swing.

Turning his attention back to the bike, he gave one of his school friend's a look, "Wash your hands before you touch my bike –it's brand new and still shiny."

"Sheesh," Kevin stepped away from the bike, wiping his hands on his shirt, "Whatever you say…mama's boy."

"And proud of it," Gabe turned his attention back to his bike, finding the kickstand to stand it in place, "You're just jealous 'cause you don't have one of these."

"Like it matters," Ray snorted as he eyed the bike with envy, "You're not allowed to use it."

"But I will someday," Gabe gave Ray a cocky smile, "And when I do, you still won't have one."

"Tia Rosa said I can get one next year," Marc flipped the page of the manual that came with the bike, "I'm already researching to see which would be the best for racing."

"Is this one any good," Gabe asked as he stroked the shiny blue frame, the leather seat smooth under his fingertips.

"Oh yeah," Marc flipped the page, his brown eyes moving over the words, "Fifty-four miles per hour, charges in three hours, clutch less one speed, two piston hydraulic front brakes with a one piston rear break –this is one sweet bike."

"Which one are you looking into," Gabe wanted so bad to get on the bike but he had promised his mother so he just reached up to grip the leather handle bars, imagining himself going top speed.

"This one's a Zero MX," Marc looked up from the booklet, giving the bike an appreciative once over before looking at Gabe, "I want to get the Zero X –its two miles faster than this one."

"It's not the speed of the bike, it's how you handle it," Bailey twisted the bars of her bike, rolling back on the heels of her feet, her Converse sneakers worn, a hole on one of the toes but she refused to throw them out, "Without a good rider, the bike's pretty much useless."

"It doesn't hurt to have a good bike, though," Brad wheeled back his own bike, his shaggy dark hair falling over his forehead, "We can go to Dry Hill next year."

"Oh man," Gabe looked at his cousin as he let out a long sigh, "For the Northwest Cup Races? That would be awesome but I doubt mom would be okay with it."

"I think you have to be fourteen to compete, anyway," Marc handed the booklet to Gabe, looking over at the swing sets where his sister and Nika were, his eyebrows raising in surprise, "Well, that's something I don't see every day."

Vivi gave Davy a hug, the swing she had been sitting on gently swaying as she pulled back, "Thank you for pushing us, Davy."

"Not a problem," Davy gave her a smile, looking at Nika out of the corner of his eyes but the girl that had stolen his heart was staring at someone else, "Maybe we can hang out some other time?"

"That sounds like f –Gabriel!"

Davy was caught unawares, flying forward into the ground, his hands scraping against the grass as he caught himself before he landed face first.

Pushing himself to his feet, he turned around, scowling at Gabe, "What the hell is your problem?"

"My problem," Gabe growled at him, about to throw himself at the stupid kid but Marc grabbed him from behind, his arms like steel bands around his torso, "Stay away from her."

"This is a free country," Davy stuck his chin out, skipping back slightly as Gabe made a lunge towards him, almost getting out of Marc's grip, "I can hang out with whoever I want…and so can she."

"Free country, my ass," Gabe kicked at a rock, his aim true as it hit Davy in the shoulder, the boy letting out a slight whimper as he grabbed his shoulder, "I see you around her and I'll make you sorry –Marc's not always going to be around to save your ass!"

Davy didn't say anything, just turned around and ran, Marc holding on to Gabe because he knew if he let go, he was just going to run after the poor kid.

"What is your problem?"

Gabe turned to look at Vivi, his blue eyes hot with anger, "My problem? Why were you hugging him?"

"I was saying thank you –he was being nice to us."

"And is that how you're going to thank every boy that's nice to you?"

"Hey," Marc tossed Gabriel onto the ground, moving to stand before his sister, "You take that back."

"Stay out of this," Vivi pushed him aside, glaring down at Gabe, her gold-brown eyes bright with tears she fought to hold back, "You're a jerk."

Marc watched as she ran across the yard, Nika following after her, his jaw tight as he looked down at Gabe, "You know, I really ought to stop trying to keep you two apart –you're doing a great job yourself."

"Fuck you."

"Gabriel Michael Laskaris."

He tilted his head back, the look on his mother's face letting him know he was beyond trouble.

Closing his eyes, he let himself fall back onto the grass, his head hitting the ground with a soft thud, "Ah fuck."

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Why are boys so dumb? It just doesn't make sense why they're so stupid. Aunt Leah tells me they're dumb and everyone else says so too but no one tells me why._

_I wish I could figure out why he's so weird –he makes me cry and sometimes, he's mean. But then he'll be really nice and sweet…it makes it hurt more when he goes back to being mean._

_Marc says he's not good for me but…I love him. I know I'm just ten years old and that I don't know anything about love like the kind that Tia and Tio have but I know –I KNOW –that he's meant for me._

_Even when he's mean to me, when he makes me mad or when he makes me cry, I can still see it –it's stronger now than it was before._

_When I first saw him –I still remember even though I was so little._

_We were at the toy aisle in the store and I was hiding behind Tio's legs from Marc so he wouldn't take the marble away._

_Tio wasn't my Tio back then but I knew he would be –I knew the moment he and Tia looked at each other that they were meant to be together –he's her sun and she's his moon._

_It was the same with me and Gabriel –I looked at him and I felt it…I saw it._

_It reminded me of a spider web but prettier…it was gold and silver and so delicate…now, it's still the same colors but they're stronger, darker…not as transparent…_

_I wish I knew what it mea –_

A knock on the door had her scrambling to shove her journal under her pillow, her hair tumbling around her shoulders as she sniffed back her tears, reaching up to wipe her cheeks as she called out, "Come in."

Opening the door, she watched Tio Seth enter with a glass of milk, giving her a smile as he closed the door behind him, "Just came to tuck you in."

Vivi gave him a smile, sniffing as she looked down at her pajama pants –purple and pink plaid with glittered stars, "I'm too old for you to tuck me in."

"No such thing," he handed her the glass, picking up the book from her bedside table as she scooted over to make room for him, "Remember what chapter we left off on?"

"Fifteen," Vivi took a sip of milk, smiling as she tasted the sugar –Tio Seth knew she liked sugar in her milk…she pretty much liked sugar in everything she drank, even water.

Opening the book, he settled back onto the headboard, stretching a leg on her bed as she sat cross legged, Emmett tucked into her side –she usually kept him on the window seat because she was too old to sleep with a teddy bear but whenever she felt sad or hurt, it always made her feel better to hug him while she spilled all her woes into her journal.

"_Summer was creeping over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his heels, the scene didn't look right to Harry; no better, in fact, than the inside of the castle, where things were so horribly wrong."_

"I don't feel like reading right now…can we talk?"

"What would you like to talk about, Vivi," he lowered the book, keeping his thumb in place as he gave her his complete attention –it was why he was so easy to talk too because he never asked or prodded, just acted like normal and gave her time to think if she wanted to talk or not.

"Why are boys so dumb?"

Tio let out a chuckle, looking down at the cover of the book –they were on the second book of the Harry Potter series, which Vivi liked very much, "It's kind of difficult to explain but…would you like to know what drives us to act stupid?"

"Yes," she nodded, reaching up to gather all her hair over her shoulder, her fingers nimbly weaving it into a thick braid.

"Girls."

Vivi's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "It's our fault you guys are dumb?"

"Not…completely," he let out a sigh as he set the book on the bedside table, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair, "See, we're simple…dumb, I guess you could say. We need very little to make us happy –good food, sports…pretty girls. But our problem is that…in being dumb…we just don't get you girls."

"What's to get?"

Tio laughed, shaking his head as he pulled her into his side, dropping a kiss on her head, "You girls can never make up your mind…about anything. You change your mind hundreds of times in one day…you like something then the next day you hate it. You have a crush on a boy and a week later, you can't stand him. It's like riding a roller-coaster when dealing with girls –and all we're trying to do is work so hard at not showing you how dumb we really are."

Vivi giggled, looking up at him, her gold-brown eyes dancing, "But that's all boys do –act dumb."

"Well, that's because just when we think you're going to go left, you go right and there we are, looking like idiots going left…and the worst part is, we know you are thinking we're idiots for not guessing that you were going to go right instead of left."

"You're silly," Vivi shook her head, flipping her braid over her shoulder as a yawn escaped her, "So if I'm going to go left and say I'm going to go left –"

"Then go left, for God's sake," Seth gave her shoulders a squeeze, "And remember…the reason you girls are so insane is because you can handle it…we can't. Have some pity on the poor boys."

Vivi laughed, snuggling into his side as she hugged Emmett, letting out a quiet sigh as she stared off into space, the silence comfortable before she spoke up again, "Tio."

"Yes Vivi."

"Do you think ten is too young to be in love?"

She felt him smile against her hair, "No, I don't…love isn't conditional so why should it only apply to older people? One thing you have to learn though, Vivi…love is an action…a decision you make and that you stick to. Many make the mistake of equating love to an emotion…something fleeting that comes and goes depending on others. If you're going to love someone, you do it with more than just your heart...do you understand where I'm coming from?"

"Mhm," Vivi nodded, his cotton shirt soft under her cheek, "If I'm going to love Gabriel, I love him no matter what."

"That doesn't mean you let him rule over you," Tio nudged her chin up so she could look at him, his eyes serious as he continued, "It doesn't mean you do as he says…Gabriel is learning how to be a man…but it's hard because he still thinks like a boy –that's why he reacts the way he does when he sees you with another boy. He needs to learn to respect you and the only one that can teach him that is you –so you show him you have a mind of your own, let him know when you don't like something he says or does…but don't play with his heart. It'll hurt both of you."

She stared into his dark brown eyes, smiling when he kissed her nose, nodding as he asked, "Would you like to finish the chapter?"

Closing her eyes, she let herself think on nothing else but Uncle Seth's voice as he continued reading, the words weaving a wonderful picture in her head that she looked forward to comparing to the movie when she finally watched it.

Gabriel preferred the movies but she refused to watch them until she read the book so as soon as she and Tio Seth finished this one, she would be able to invite him over for a movie night and some popcorn…and Marc, of course.

Might as well invite Nika, Brad and Bailey too.


	37. Chapter 35

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I know, it's taken me while but this past week as been insane. Good news though -I've already got the next three chapters completed. Just have to type them up and edit.  
**

**Gaby -love you girlie! Your reviews always give me confidence to continued  
Inosolan -I think I missed a review from you.  
Ppani -you rock! Thanks for your reviews. They're very insightful  
**

**Lette, Moani, LovingLeah, Chelsea -you are all so awesome! Keep leaving reviews.  
**

**Enjoy the chapter as you read (it might not be easy to do so, though) and remember to review!  
**

**Chapter Thirty-Five  
**_Third Week of May  
New York City_

"What about a fall wedding?"

Lian tossed a nut up in the air, easily catching it before turning the page to one of Julie's wedding magazines, "Depends on where you want to have it."

They were at his apartment and although it was two in the afternoon, he was wearing sweats with a wife beater, his hair still damp from the shower he had taken with Julie.

They had plans to just lounge around, order take-out and watch a couple of movies…maybe make out a little, fool around some…

He might just get lucky again.

"A New York wedding would be nice," Julie walked into the living room, rubbing the ends of her wet hair with a towel.

"In the fall," Lian's voice was skeptical as he looked up, his dark brown eyes moving over her in appreciation –only his Julie could make an old pair of his pajama pants paired with a stretch top that left little to the imagination look sexy chic, "It gets muggy –not to mention the paparazzi will be all over it."

"Oh, right," Julie walked across the living room floor, her feet bare, toes painted a sparkly pink, "What about the reservation?"

"Makah," Lian cocked an eyebrow, grinning as she took one of his almonds, tossing it in the air and catching it as she sat down next to him, "Nice catch."

"Thanks," she tossed the towel over the back of the loveseat couch they sat on, turning sideways as she handed him the brush from the side table where she had placed it earlier, "Why not Makah?"

Lian tossed the magazine onto the coffee table, turning to sit cross legged behind her, "It really doesn't have any venues for a wedding. We'd have to use the center in La Push –that's where Rose and Seth got married. Calvary Chapel and St. Anne's in Forks have reception halls."

"Daisy and Brandon had their wedding at St. Anne's, I think," Julie let out a sigh, a delicious shiver skittering down her back as Lian brushed out the tangles in her hair, "I'd have to ask."

Lian worked the brush through the ends, the brown red tresses several inches past her waist, "What about your hometown?"

"I don't really have one," Julie lifted her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as Lian began to braid her hair, "I lived in Trinity with mom and Lyn before moving to Port Angeles…my grandparents live in Los Angeles and the rest of our family is in Weihai."

"We could have the wedding in Ireland," Lian reached the end of the braid, giving it a gentle pull to tip her head back so he could look into her eyes, "I hear its beautiful in the fall."

Julie smiled, handing him the hair tie around her wrist, "That's kind of far for our family and friends, don't you think?"

Tying the end, he moved to prop his feet on the coffee table, picking up his can of nuts as Julie took one of the bridal magazines, "We could fly up immediate family –a small and intimate wedding with just parents and siblings."

"Don't forget spouses, nieces and nephew," Julie threw her legs over his, stretching to lean back against the arm of the two-person couch, "Lili asked if she could be a bridesmaid last time we called."

"Right," Lian laughed, taking the pay-per-view listings from the side table, "She wants to design all the dresses."

"I just might let her," Julie wrinkled her nose as she flipped a page, turning the magazine to show Lian, "What do you think?"

Looking up at the picture, he let out an amused snort, "You'll look like a cupcake."

"That's what I was thinking," Julie laughed as she continued looking at the wedding dresses, "Dianna suggested I cut my hair –get a new look."

"Dianna is going to be without a job if she keeps nagging," Lian's dislike for Julie's fashion consultant was obvious: the woman's insistence on mainstreaming Julie's look –suggesting punk hairstyles and minimal clothing –had her on Lian's list of people he couldn't stand…right up there with her money greedy manager Marley.

Julie shook her head with a laugh –she knew how he felt about Dianna and Marley but he never got into her business which she appreciated very much, "What about this one?"

Lian looked at the picture she held up, visibly cringing, "God, no. That's one hideous dress."

"Makes me wonder what the designer was smoking."

"Smoking," Lian scoffed, wrapping his free hand around her foot to squeeze her toes, "That one's tripping on meth. Action, comedy or romance?"

"Mhm," Julie looked up from her magazine, biting her lip for a few seconds, "Comedy."

Lian picked up the remote, turning the TV on, "I feel like Chinese. Sound good?"

"Siao Chao Wong," she asked as she reached behind her to pick up the cordless phone. At Lian's agreement, she dialed the number, giving the order soon after they answered. A few minutes later, she pushed the END button, leaning backwards over the arm of the couch to set the phone back on its base, "Forty five minutes."

Lian grabbed her around the waist, his thumb flicking her bellybutton ring as he lifted her up and onto him, stretching out on the small couch, Julie letting out a yelp of surprise.

Taking the magazine from her, he threw it onto the coffee table, "We'll look at that later. Movie's about to start."

Julie wiggled against him until she was wedged between him and the back of the couch, his broad chest serving as her pillow as she wrapped her leg around his, "Kind of a snug fit, don't you think?"

"I like it," Lian grinned down at her, reaching up to bury his fingers into her braided hair, "Let's pick a month at the least, before we get into the movie."

"Yeah, sure," Julie gave him a teasing smirk, "'Cause that's what you want to get into."

Lian burst out laughing, pressing a kiss against her forehead as he rubbed his thumb against the soft spot behind her ear, "Touché. So…how about October?"

"Of this year?"

At his nod, she looked up at him in surprise, "That gives us…five months to plan a wedding!"

"I'll hire a wedding planner to help us," he tweaked her nose, lifting his other arm to place it under his head.

"I don't know, Lian…"

"You want a fall wedding," Lian's tone of voice let her know there was no changing his mind, "And there's no way in hell I'm waiting 'til next year –I want to be able to call you Mrs. Young when the New Year comes."

Julie chuckled, biting her bottom lip as she watched the screen, the movie beginning as minutes tricked by before she spoke up, "Okay –October it is."

Lian smiled, kissing the top of her head as he pulled her closer, lifting his knee and causing her leg to slide down until it was hitched across his hips, her foot tucked under his ankle.

Sliding his hand down her arm, he slipped it under to rest against the delicate curve of her ribs under the soft swell of her breast.

They were both laughing halfway into the movie, the doorbell's ring causing Lian to look up at the time on the DVD player, "That was fast."

"Good 'cause I'm hungry," Julie sat up as Lian got off the couch, stretching her arms over her head as he moved to the desk drawer to take cash out of his wallet, "Do you want soda, beer or wine?"

Lian grinned over his shoulder at her as she stood up to move towards the kitchen, "Wine sounds good."

A brief silence followed the opening door before Lian's tight voice carried to the kitchen where Julie was getting a couple of wine glasses, the bottle already sitting on the counter as she started to search for the corkscrew, "What are you doing here?"

Leaving the corkscrew beside the bottle, she walked to the living room, purple eyes widening at the gorgeous blond standing outside the front door, a blue wrap-around dress hugging a killer body, "Come, Lian –considering I own half of your little love nest, it seems a bit rude to not invite me in, don't you think?"

Julie leaned against the back of the long couch, crossing her arms over her chest, hating how self-conscious she was feeling standing before this model wearing nothing better than old pajama bottoms and a cotton top without a bra.

"Ah, I see now," green eyes swept Julie from head to toe, a slight hint of derision present in her slightly accented English, "You have one of your…little friends over."

"Julie's my fiancée," his voice came out low and husky, Julie able to tell he was grinding his teeth, "Why are you here?"

"At least let me introduce myself to your…fiancée," she pushed her way into the apartment, Lian leaving the door opened as he walked across the foyer to stand beside Julie, his arm stretching across her back to pull her into his side as she held out a perfectly manicured hand, "I'm Camille Young."

"Cut the shit, Camille," Lian pushed her hand away before Julie could shake it, "We weren't married long enough for you to take my name."

"A pity," Camille gave him a sweet smile, the knot in Julie's stomach turning into acid –this woman was a world class bitch, "It has such a nice ring to it. You're…July Star, right?"

A tick at the side of her jaw was the only outright sign of the growing anger inside her –she wanted to slap the smirk off her perfectly made up face, "Yes, I am. You're Julian's _ex_-wife, correct?"

"Julian," she let out a soft chuckle, reaching up to tuck a curl behind her ear, diamond earrings dangling from the lobes, "How sweet. So he told you about me?"

"Oh yes," Julie gave her a smile worth its gold in bitchiness, a taunting look in her purple eyes as she gave Camille the same head to toe dismissing sweep she had received, "He told me _all_ about you."

Camille's mouth tightened, anger and something much darker flashing in her green eyes before she blinked it away, turning to give Lian a soft smile, "I meant to send you a congratulatory note on your engagement."

"Don't bother," Lian moved his arm to grip Julie's hip, able to feel the tension running through her slender body –hell, if his bitch of an ex-wife had come after they'd tucked into the bottle of wine, his fiancée would have probably hauled off and smacked her by now, "Why are you here?"

"Now, Lian, don't be like that," she gave him a pretty pout but when he just stared at her, she shifted her Channel purse from her forearm up to her shoulder, "Gilbert told me you're selling the house in White Plains."

"Yes, I am," Lian crossed his ankles, Julie feeling the tension radiating from him, his body so tight against hers she could feel his muscles trembling slightly, "I'm sure he also told you the check for your half will be in your bank account, just like always, so why are you here?"

"You didn't bother to call and tell me," Camille's voice carried a hint of hurt, Julie and Lian both narrowing their eyes as she looked at him with wide green eyes oozing of sincerity, "What if I don't want to sell? It has sentimental value…it was supposed to be our first home."

"It has no value for me," Lian's voice was flat, his words harsh, "You only get half of my money, not my properties. As we both know, the house is in my name which means I own it and I alone make the decision to sell –then you get your half."

Camille's eyes dropped to her expensive shoes, a few seconds ticking by before she gave him a pleading look, "I'd like to take some of the things –"

"Take whatever the fuck you want," Lian let go of Julie, pushing away from the couch to move towards the opened front door, "Take everything for all I care."

"Gilbert advised me you be there," Camille didn't move from where she was, ignoring Julie as she kept her eyes on Lian, hating the obvious fact she no longer had any hold on him, "So you won't accuse me of cheating you."

Lian's chuckle was dark, mocking in its' nature as he held the door, "Camille –it's too late for that. Now leave."

Julie was studying her profile, she the way her jaw tightened briefly before she fully turned to face Lian, "I'm afraid I have to insist –you can have John meet you there although Gilbert has already called him –they're both in agreement that your presence is necessary."

Even from where she stood, Julie could see the tick on the side of Lian's squared jaw, her gut twisting in rage –this woman was hell bent on making him miserable.

Shutting the door with a little more force than necessary, he moved across the foyer, grabbing Julie's hand and pulling her with him down the hall to the master bedroom, the door closing behind them to give them needed privacy.

He dropped her hand, moving to sit at the foot of the bed as he let out a heavy sigh, "I have a bad feeling about this, Julie."

Going to him, she framed his face and tipped it back to look into his dark eyes, "Call John –verify what she's saying and ask him what would be best."

Closing his eyes, he wrapped his arms around her hips, pulling her between his legs before burying his face into her stomach, his words muffled, "If the press sees us…it'll get really nasty."

"I'll know the truth, Julian," she wrapped her arms around his head, curving her body over his, wishing it were that simple to protect him from the outside world, "It'll be nothing but rumors."

Julian let out a deep sigh, his fingers digging slightly into her waist before relaxing, "Call John while I get dressed –tell him what's going on."

Kissing the top of his head, she moved around the bed to pick up his cell phone, scrolling through the numbers, taking a few seconds before she found the number to Lian's lawyer.

Sitting on the bed, she leaned against the headboard, watching as he changed into worn jeans and a gray t-shirt that fit him like a second skin.

God, she still couldn't get over how gorgeous he was –tall with long, lean muscles, copper hued skin and not a single ounce of fat anywhere in sight –just the simple task of him dressing had her heart beating fast.

As soon as the receptionist answered, she gave her name, agreeing to be placed on hold.

A couple of minutes passed as she watched Lian putting on socks –it might sound silly, but the man had really sexy feet.

"Julie! It's good to hear from you."

John's voice snapped her back to the situation at hand, "I wish it were under better circumstances."

"What's going on? Lian okay?"

Julie smiled –he wasn't just Lian's lawyer but one of his closest friends and she was glad he stood on her man's corner. Explaining the situation, she scooted across the bed as soon as Lian sat down at the end, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs as he buried his fingers in his hair.

She wrapped her free arm around his chest, pressing her front to his back as she set her chin on his shoulder.

"She's a piece of work, uh," John's dislike for the woman was obvious in his voice, Lian able to hear every word, "I wish I could tell you she's lying but her lawyer did call this morning to let me know she was in the States –although it's not absolutely necessary for Lian to be there, it would be preferable."

Julie pressed a kiss against the back of his neck as he took the phone from her, "I'm going to be heading out in a few minutes –will you meet us there?"

"Are you bringing Julie?"

"No," Lian lifted her hand from his chest, his thumb rubbing the silver band on her ring finger before he pressed a kiss against her knuckles, "Knowing Camille, it's bound to get nasty."

"Tell Julie I'll look after you."

"He better," Julie whispered, pressing a row of small wet kisses along the exposed skin of his neck, John laughing as Lian repeated what she'd said.

"Alright…see you there in an hour."

Ending the call, he tossed the phone on the bed as he turned, hauling Julie into his arms, her mouth blooming open under his demanding lips, her fingers fisted in his hair as he slid his hands into her pajama pants, squeezing her ass as he pulled her into him until she straddled his thigh.

Pushing her back onto the bed, he slid his hands up under her shirt, cupping her bare breasts as he nipped at her bottom lip, her hips rising and falling as she rubbed herself against his hard thigh.

Several minutes passed, Julie swallowing back a moan as he sucked her neck, his breathing harsh as he kissed her swollen lips, the whisper cool against her heated flesh, "We'll finish this when I get back."

Julie looked up into his nearly black eyes, her entire body humming as she caressed the side of his face before giving him a smile, "I'm holding you to that."

* * *

The silence was heavy, the 1966 Thunderbird Ford eating up the miles as he drove I-87 North, Camille in the passenger seat –she had insisted on riding with him, telling him how ridiculous it was for her to get a cab when they were going to the same place.

"She seems like a sweet girl…"

Lian gave her a quick glance, not saying anything –it's not like she didn't know he required complete silence when driving.

He was able to multi-task in most areas but when it came to driving, he needed total concentration which meant no music or conversations when he was behind the wheel.

"She knows about the marriage clause, right?"

His jaw tightened, eyes checking the rearview mirror before looking straight ahead, not needing to explain his relationship with Julie to her.

Camille looked over at him, the sunglasses she wore hiding the look of contempt she gave him.

Looking out the window, she let several minutes of silence pass before leaning forward to turn on the radio.

Lian jerked the wheel slightly at the sudden blaring music coming from the speakers, "What the hell are you doing?"

He turned the knob, the music cutting off, his hand shaking slightly as he placed it back on the wheel.

"Still can't drive and listen to music, uh," Camille taunted him, her fingernails drumming against the side door.

His eyes flickered to her hand before looking ahead, his voice coming out in a growl, "Stop that."

"I'm sorry," Camille tilted her head to the side, the afternoon sun streaming through the window to slant across her face, "Does that bother you?"

"You know it does," he forced the words past his teeth, changing lanes to pass through the pre-paid toll lane.

"Mhm," Camille looked out the window, several quiet minutes passing before she turned to look at him, "Can she handle the silence?"

Slowing down as he took a curve, he returned to the right lane, not bothering to answer –Julie, in fact, could handle the silence. It was one of the many things he loved about her –she could live with her own thoughts unlike Camille.

Camille cocked an eyebrow, turning her face away from him for a few seconds before turning back, watching him as he drove, following the next bend of the highway before she leaned forward, her fingers turning the know of the radio, "I think now's a good time to break you of this habit."

"What the fuck is your problem," Lian pushed her hand away turning the knob, his anger rising as she turned it back on, "Stop fucking around, Camille."

He didn't realize it until it was too late –the speed had crept up fifteen miles over the limit as he fought with Camille, the next bend of the highway coming fast as the vintage car drifted onto the opposite lane.

Looking up, he jerked the wheel to get back on his lane, slamming on the brakes, the smell of burnt rubber heavy in the air as he hit the railing, the screech of metal high pitched as it gave away, the car rolling down hill several times before slamming to a stop against a thick trunked tree.

The last thought flitting through his mind before everything when black was of his Julie waiting for him to return.

* * *

_Four Days Later_

The strong smell of antiseptic woke him up, his body one huge aching pain.

Staying still, he listened to the steady beeping of a machine, trying to figure out where he was…

He turned his head slightly, a weight on his left arm having him close his fingers, jerking slightly as he realized someone's hand was holding his.

He turned his head again, the swimming pain making him nauseous as he wondered why they were keeping the room pitch black.

His mouth was so dry no words came out as he tried to speak. Running his tongue over his chapped lips, he tried again, "W-water."

He felt his left arm jerk, a soft hand touching his face, the pain making him flinch, "Julian –Oh, thank God, you're awake."

"W-water," he licked his dry lips again, his hand dropping to the bed as she let go of it, the sound of water pouring making him even thirstier.

"Here," she slid her arm under his shoulders, his head resting on her shoulder as she placed the cup against his lips, "Take it slow, baby."

He took a couple of swallows, exhaustion swamping him as he turned away from the cup, whispering right before he slipped back into unconsciousness, "Turn the light on."

Julie set him down on the pillows, placing the cup on the side table before sitting on the edge of her chair, her bottom lip firmly tucked between her teeth as she looked around the brightly lit room.

Her heart lurched painfully as she fought back tears, reaching up to gently touch his bruised face before taking his hand in hers.

His eyes had been wide open...

...his eyes were open, he knew they were but just to make sure, he reached up to touch his fingertips to them, feeling his eyelashes as he blinked.

Moving his hand away, he waved it before his face but couldn't see it –why were they keeping the room so dark?

Turning his head to the side, he closed his eyes, feeling so tired as the murmur of voices outside his door grew in volume.

Where was Julie?

He needed to know what was going on, why the room had to be kept dark.

He wiggled his toes, reached up to touch his head, letting out a groan at the sudden pain bursting in his head.

The door opened, light footsteps followed by what sounded like drums before he felt a soft hand slip into his, "Are you okay?"

He nodded, turning his head towards her voice –that low smooth timbre was the only constant thing for him at this moment, "I think I pulled my IV."

"I'll have the nurse fix it."

The heart monitor beeped as his heart sped up, turning his head towards the strange voice, "Who is that?"

"This is Dr. Rich," Julie touched his forehead, her breath brushing his face as she whispered; "He's looking after you."

Lian nodded, hoping he could finally get some answers, "Why is the room so dark?"

Silence was all he heard before the doctor's heavy New York accent made his heart jump, "What do you remember, Mr. Young?"

Lian turned his head, Julie's fingers stroking his cheek as he struggled to recall, "I was…driving, I think…there was someone with me?"

"Do you know Camille Sloan?"

Lian lowered his eyebrows, grimacing in pain –it felt like his face was one huge bruise, "She's…she's my ex-wife…she was with me…why?"

Julie couldn't take it anymore even though she knew the doctor wanted Lian to answer, her hand squeezing his as he moved his thumb over the cool metal of her engagement ring, "You were going to White Plains –to the house you were selling."

Lian closed his eyes, feeling so tired as he slowly nodded, "Right…she kept turning on the radio…I didn't notice…I was going fast…I lost control of the car…then everything went black."

"You drove off a bend, the guard railings gave way," the doctor shared the information the cops had given him, "Your car rolled down hill several times before hitting a tree. Your forehead hit the steering wheel right before the airbags disengaged."

Lian let out a heavy breath, "That's why my face hurts."

"You're a bit bruised," he could hear a smile on Julie's voice, felt her lips brush his temple as she stroked her fingers down his jaw, "It'll go away."

"Why is the room so dark?"

The silence following what he thought to be a simple question increased his anxiety, the heart monitor beeping like crazy before the doctor answered, "You suffered a head injury, Mr. Young. Due to the impact with your steering wheel, not to mention the airbag, your brain swelled. You've been in a coma for the past four days –the swelling's gone down but…"

He heard Julie sniff, felt a tear land on his cheek, his fingers tightening around hers as he asked, "But what?"

"It seems your vision's been affected –whether it's temporary or not, we're not yet sure."

"Affected? What does that mean?"

"Mr. Young," he paused, compassion in his voice as he gently explained, "The reason the room is dark is because you can't see…you're blind, Mr. Young."

* * *

_Two Days Later_

Lian sat still, his chair facing the window –the only reason he knew was because Julie had told him before leaving to get him something to eat.

Well, that and the fact he could feel the sun warm against his face.

He wasn't yet sure…how to react.

The past two days had been a fog; his pain medication combined with the exhaustion had kept him from thinking too much about his situation.

But now…if it weren't for Julie, he'd be well on his way into depression…instead, he was dragging her down with him despite her fighting hard to keep his spirits up.

What was he supposed to do without his sight? He couldn't write music, read music…he couldn't look into Julie's beautiful eyes and see her love for him.

Dragging his hand through his hair, he let out a sigh, closing his eyes even though it didn't matter –the damn CAT scan showed bruising to the occipital lobe of his brain but no one, not his primary doctor or the neurologist, could tell him for certain whether this was temporary.

"I'm back," Julie's voice snapped him out of his dark thoughts, a slight twinge in his neck making him grimace in discomfort as he listened to her moving around the room, setting things down, "I brought you a hamburger, onion rings and a milkshake."

His mouth tilted into a small smile, "Strawberry?"

"Of course," her voice moved closer, the feel of her lips touching his cheek startling him a bit, "They were serving mystery meat in the cafeteria today."

"I wonder what the mystery is," he reached up, his fingers bumping her chin before she leaned her face into his hand, his thumb moving over her cheekbone as she whispered conspiratorially, "Probably that it's not meat."

Lian's chuckle was brief and lacked its usual mirth, the silence stretching as she moved the side table towards his chair, his voice low, "This isn't fair to you, Julie."

"What's not fair?"

"We don't know how long this is going to last –you deserve a man who can –"

Her fingers against his lips stopped his words, his arms wrapping around her automatically when she sat on his lap, "What I deserve…is a man that loves me the way you do. I told you I would never let you go –and I won't, even if you think it would be best for me."

He closed his eyes, sharp relief flooding him as he lowered his head onto her shoulder, "Don't…don't let me go –no matter how stupid I get."

Kissing the top of his head, she rubbed the back of his neck as she whispered into his ear, "Never, Julian. You're stuck with me."

They sat there in silence, holding each other as time passed by, the sound of the hospital outside their door background music to the rhythm of their beating hearts.

"Julie…"

"Yes baby."

He lifted his head, looking at her face even though he couldn't see it…but he remembered every single detail down to the faint freckle near the corner of her mouth, "I want to go home."

"Doctor Rich said he'll be able to discharge you tomorrow. I've pretty much packed up my apartment and moved into yours –"

"No," he shook his head, letting out a tired sigh, his head dropping back onto her shoulder as he softly whispered, "I want to go home –to Washington."

The silence lasted a couple of seconds, "Okay."

"Come with me."

He felt her lips against his forehead, her fingers moving through his hair, "Where you go I go –remember?"


	38. Chapter 36

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Merry Christmas Y'all! Hope you enjoy my Christmas gift to all of you readers -how about yours be a review, even if it's one word. Every person that reads this chapter, gift me with your review!  
**

**Gaby -love you darling! Merry Christmas!  
Inosolan -Merry Christmas darling!  
Ppani -you owe me two reviews. Merry Christmas!  
Chelsea, Lette, Brazilian, ASH -you are all loved so much! Thank you for your thoughts and freely share more!  
**

**As always, enjoy as you read and REVIEW as my Christmas gift!  
**

**Chapter Thirty-Six  
**_June 3__rd_

Rose let out a tired sigh, smiling as she ran her fingers through Seth's hair, his head on her chest as he talked to the baby –well, her stomach being she still had three more weeks to go.

"Come on, baby," Seth moved his hand over her belly, "Move for Daddy."

"Seth," Rose yawned, lifting the remote control to turn the TV off as she dropped her feet from the coffee table –they were so swollen she was glad she couldn't see them most of the time, "It's nine forty nine at night –I'd like to get some sleep so please don't encourage him to move."

Seth kissed her hard stomach, sitting up as he pulled her top down, "I'm pretty sure it's a girl."

Rose let out another yawn, about to push herself off the couch when Seth easily scooped her up into his arms, "You need to stop doing that –you're going to hurt your back."

"Oh please," Seth headed towards the hall, Rose reaching out to flip the light switch, the living room going dark as the track lights in the hallway blinked on, "You're light as a feather."

"You're a liar," Rose kept her arm around his wide shoulders as he moved into their bedroom, "I've gained thirty pounds."

"I can't feel them," he pressed a kiss on her temple before moving into the bathroom, carefully placing her on her feet, "Call me when you're done."

"I can walk, Seth," she pushed him out of the bathroom, a hand on the vanity keeping her from limping –her ankles hurt but she wasn't going to say anything or he would insist on staying in the bathroom while she peed and changed into her nightgown, "Go turn down the bed and don't stand outside the door."

She closed the door, standing in place for a couple of minutes before she called, "I can hear you breathing! Get away from the door!"

He shook his head with a chuckle, doing as his wife said. Pulling his t-shirt over his head, he tossed it over the back of the vanity chair, pulling back the comforter and sheets, the sound of running water coming from the bathroom making him chuckle again.

For some weird reason, Rose turned on the faucet before peeing –he wasn't sure why she started doing that but he knew it started sometime after the second trimester.

Being he was already wearing his pajama pants, he climbed into bed, reaching across the king size bed to take the "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book on Rose's bedside table.

About a half hour later, the bathroom door opened, Rose turning the light off before she walked across the bedroom and around the bed to her side, her long hair in a braid down her back.

Seth had already piled her pillows against the headboard, the one she tucked between her knees in the middle of the bed. Getting into bed, she shifted and wiggled, finally letting out a groan after five minutes, "I can't get comfortable –and the baby's starting to move. Seth, put him to sleep."

Setting the book aside, he moved across the bed into her side, pulling her into his arms, her head on his shoulder as he rubbed the small of her back.

Her protruding stomach was between them, Seth able to feel their baby kicking and stretching.

"We're almost there," he kissed her temple, taking one of his pillows and placing it behind her to give her back support as she tucked the other one between her knees, "Three weeks and we get to meet her."

"Him," Rose yawned, tucking her pillows under her head as Seth moved down the bed, his arm over her hip as he propped his head on his fist, his forehead resting against the curve of her belly.

Closing her eyes, she let herself relax, his deep voice lulling both her and the baby to sleep, just the way he'd done every night for the past eight months.

***In Quileute***

_You are my everything_

_The beat of my heart_

_The air in my lungs_

_You give sight to my eyes_

_Meaning to my life_

_You are my everything_

_The ground upon which I stand_

_The chains that tether me in place_

_You keep me from fading away_

_You are who I am_

_You are my everything_

_My soul, my thoughts_

_My dreams, my needs_

_You are all of these things_

_You are my everything_

_I love you_

* * *

_Makah_  
_June 7__th__  
12:32 AM_

Softly closing her bedroom door, Julie sneaked down the hall towards Lian's room, which was across his parents'.

They had moved in with his parents a week ago after closing their apartments and making new arrangements with Natalie and their label.

Meeting his parents had been…interesting, to say the least. His mother was more accepting of their relationship yet placed them in separate bedrooms –apparently, she was in what had been Emily's room before she moved to La Push to be with Sam.

His father, on the other hand…Julie shook her head to get rid of the negativity that man had been spouting since the first day they've been there.

Stepping over one of the creaky boards, she quietly turned the knob to Lian's door, attentively listening for any noise across the hall. Thanks to his mother's old fashion way of being, she was reduced to sneaking in and out of Lian's room like some naughty teenager.

She knew he was going to be awake –the week between being released from the hospital and moving across the States had made Julie very familiar with Lian's sleeping habits…being, he couldn't sleep unless she was next to him where he could hold her.

Softly closing the door behind her, she whispered as he turned his face towards the door, "It's me."

Lian closed his eyes, letting out a sigh of relief before moving sideways to make space for her –it was a twin sized bed, the same one he'd slept in before leaving for New York at eighteen but for them, it was sufficient.

Lifting the covers, she climbed in, Lian's arm wrapping around her as she set her head on his shoulder, her arm stretching over his stomach.

"I thought you'd fallen asleep," Lian whispered, burying his free hand into her hair, his other arm snaking around her waist, his hand sliding under her tank top to rest against the soft skin of her lower back, "Forgotten about me."

"I could never forget you," Julie kissed his chest, slipping her leg between his; "You're in every waking thought, in every single dream."

She could feel his smile against her forehead, his hand moving up and down her back in slow strokes, "It's the same for me…I think the only reason I breathe is for you."

Julie tipped her head back, reaching to caress his cheek with her long fingers, touching his bottom lip briefly before she pressed her mouth against his.

The spark between them ignited immediately, their tongues exploring each others' mouth as hands moved over curves and hard muscle.

Nipping her bottom lip, Lian dragged his open mouth down her throat, his hands pulling her top up as he whispered raggedly against her flushed skin, "God, I've missed you."

"Me too," Julie dragged her fingernails down his bare back, arching into him as he dipped his head to open his mouth over her breast, sucking hard at her nipple as her hips jerked into him, able to feel him hard against her thigh, "I need you so much, Julian."

Letting out a groan, he moved his mouth up to her neck, sucking hard at her pulse point as he covered her breasts with his hands, rubbing his thumbs over the peaked points, his thigh pressed hard against her core, "You taste so fucking good, Julie."

She moaned into his ear, moving a hand down his hard chest and flat stomach as she fisted the other one in his hair, pulling his face from her neck to capture his mouth in hers, her tongue rubbing against his as she slipped her hand into his pajama pants, long fingers wrapping around his erection.

"I want you," she whispered into his mouth, capturing his bottom lip between her teeth, "I need you."

Lian groaned at what her hand was doing, her thumb rubbing the tip with every upward stroke, "Baby…that feels so fucking good."

Julie gently squeezed the blunt head of his cock, rotating her wrist as she moved it down to the base, a soft gasp escaping her as he slipped his hand into her sleeping shorts, his long fingers –oh, such wonderfully dexterous fingers –slipping between the folds of her sex, the gentle pinch to her clit making her bite back a scream.

"You're so wet, baby," Lian whispered into her ear, tugging at the lobe with his teeth before he moved his mouth to suck at the soft skin behind it, pushing his hand deeper between her legs, three fingers slowly slipping into her slick opening, "So fucking wet and hot."

Julie couldn't hold back the moan, her hand on his cock moving and twisting just a little faster, Lian reciprocating as he thrust his fingers into her, curling them to rub against that sweet spot before pulling them out just to repeat the process.

A knock at the door had them pulling apart, Julie stifling a moan into his neck as his mother called out, "Are you okay, Julian?"

"I'm fine, mom," Lian's voice was tight, his breathing coming fast and shallow as Julie pulled her hand out of his pajama pants.

"I thought I heard something…is Julie in there with you?"

They could both hear the disapproval in her voice but Lian wasn't one to lie, "Yeah. She's in here."

The silence was long and heavy before she spoke again, "Alright then…let me know if either of you need anything –I'm a light sleeper."

"Yeah," Lian moved his hands to rest against Julie's back, his breathing somewhat back to normal as he rested his forehead against hers, "I know."

Minutes ticked by before the sound of a door closing let them both know she had gone back to her room.

Settling her head on his shoulder, she willed her body to calm down, the aching need inside her practically screaming for release but it wasn't going to happen –not when his mother was across the hall, sleeping lightly.

God, seven days was just too long –for both of them.

"Julie?"

"Yeah, baby."

Lian moved his fingers over her face, tracing her eyebrows before moving down to her nose –this was his way of recalling what she looked like, "I'm sorry."

Julie tipped her head back, staring into his beautiful chocolate brown eyes, heart clenching at the lack of light in them, "For what?"

His hand slid into the loose braid of her hair, "This can't be good for you, having my mother looking over our shoulders…not to mention dad and his bigoted comments."

"They just want what's best for you, Julian," Julie propped herself on her elbow, touching his face in the same tender way he touched hers, "This is hard for them too."

"I don't know why," the bitterness in his voice was something Julie had heard every once in a while since the neurologist let them know about his condition, "I'm the one who's blind, not them."

"No parent would want their child to go through something like this," Julie softly kissed his mouth, her thumb stroking his jaw, "They don't know how to act around you…and you're not making it easy."

Lian let out a sigh, closing his eyes as he fought to relax, "I've been acting like an ass, haven't I?"

Julie kissed his jaw, her mouth moving down his throat, "You're not letting down your guard –they're your parents, Julian. Let them get close."

He let out another deep breath, wrapping his arms around her, the weight of her body on his calming him down, "I can't seem to let that happen…I don't want their pity…you're the only one I trust, the only one I know doesn't feel sorry for me."

"There's nothing to feel sorry about," Julie laid her head on his chest, closing her eyes as she listened to the strong beat of his heart, "This doesn't change the man you are –the man I love."

Lian kept his arms around her, staring into the perpetual darkness that surround him as he listened to her breathing, able to pin-point the exact time she fell asleep by the change of pattern in her breathing.

…_nothing to feel sorry about…_he knew she was right but there was still a part of him that dragged him down, telling him time and again he was lacking…

…_the man I love…_and that alone –her love for him –was what had him fighting…it seemed to be his only redeeming quality.

* * *

_June 10__th__  
7:28AM_

He rolled onto his back, his heart still beating fast as his lungs struggled to suck in oxygen, "Wow."

"Yeah," Leah dragged her fingers through her hair, the grass they laid on sticking to their sweaty skin, "That was…amazing."

"You can say that again," Rick turned to look at her, moving to prop himself on his elbow as he slid his fingers along the curve of her face, "I can never get enough of you."

Leah grinned up at him, stretching her arms over his head before she pulled him down for a long and lazy kiss, "I wouldn't want you too."

Pulling back, he moved his free hand down the side of her body, the soft curve of her breast dipping into the curved of her ribs which nipped into her waist then flared out to her hip –despite their six kids, Leah still had a beautiful body –long legs and full breasts with a narrow waist, her soft lower abdomen and round hips the only changes motherhood had permanently rendered.

"You're so damn sexy," Rick murmured, his eyes following his hand as he dragged his fingers over her hip, up the slight swell of her lower abdomen and around her bellybutton.

"I'm glad you think so," Leah stretched her arms over her head, the satisfaction of their full moon activities –not to mention that morning –still humming strong throughout her body.

"Oh, it's not just personal bias," Rick dipped his head to kiss her throat, the steady pulse strong against his lips, "Charlie's new deputy likes watching you –that's why he's always around the school when you go pick up the kids."

"Leo," Leah's eyebrows lowered over her brown-green eyes, "He's a kid."

"He's a year older than you," Rick moved his mouth over her collarbone, his finger dipping into her bellybutton, a sharp twinge of pleasure pulling a moan from her, "If you didn't have at least four kids attached to you at all times, I think he'd try his hand at stealing you away from me."

Leah couldn't help laughing, propping herself up on one hand as she reached to grab a fistful of Rick's sandy blond hair, "Like that could ever happen –something those slutty teachers you work with need to remember."

Rick's mouth spread into a grin as she let go of his hair, leaning back on his elbows to watch her as she stood, her copper hued skin shimmering under the early morning sun despite the dust covering it, "Like they could ever hold a candle next to you."

Leah gave him a coquettish smile over her shoulder, her chin length hair falling over one eye, "There is no next to me. I'm on a league all on my own."

His smile hitched to one side, blue eyes slowly traveling down her body, admiring her long sleek legs as she walked towards the river, "That you are, _agape mou_."

Her laughter carried, echoing among the trees. Stretching her arms over her head, she tossed her hair back, the sun slanting over her naked body, causing Rick's current state of attention to get a bit more serious, "Leah…"

She looked over her shoulder, giving him a smile full of promise, "Yes?"

"Come here."

Leah tilted her head to the side, touching a finger to her bottom lip as she took her time to think before giving him an answer, "No."

Rick cocked an eyebrow as he sat up, resting his forearms on his drawn up knees, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," she couldn't hold back the teasing in her voice, her eyes dancing as she shifted her weight from one foot in a slightly provocative manner, "I said no."

Rick gave her a look that had her insides tightening with desire, her eyes moving over him in appreciation as he stood up.

The sudden realization that he was coming for her had her jumping into the river, the sound of him following having her laugh as she started swimming. Unfortunately, she hadn't taken into account that, just like everything else, he was an exceptional swimmer, his hand grabbing her ankle and pulling her under, barely giving her enough time to take a breath before the cold water swallowed her up.

His hands moved up her legs then gripped her waist as they broke through the water, Leah taking in a gulp of air as Rick pulled her into him, his words hot against her ear as he slid his hands around and up her body, "You shouldn't run, _glikia_, when you know I'm going to catch you."

Leah tilted her head back onto his shoulder as he walked through the water towards the riverbank, "Maybe I run because I want to be chased."

"Mhm," Rick nipped the tendon connecting her neck and shoulder, his hands covering her breasts as he led her towards a smooth boulder jutting into the flowing river, "It's been a while since I've chased you, hasn't it?"

Leah turned to lean back onto the boulder, the sun drying the beads of water off their shoulders as she slid her arms up his chest to tug his head down for a kiss, "I could use a lap or two around our bedroom before we end up in bed."

Rick laughed, tugging at her bottom lip before covering her mouth with his, the kiss deep and sweetly sensual as he dragged his hand down her back and over her bottom to grip her thigh.

Sucking at her tongue, he nipped her top lip before kissing his way down her throat, a deep chuckle vibrating in his chest, her nipples hardening at the sensation as she whispered into his ear, "We're going to have a March baby."

"You give me too much credit, _agape_," Rick lifted his head to look into her eyes, pressing himself against her center as she wrapped her long legs around his waist, "I'm getting along in years…it may take us two or three full moons this time around."

Gripping the back of his neck, she closed her eyes at the sensations running through her, able to feel the familiar yet exhilarating desire building inside her, "No complaints from me if we have to do this again soon…do you want a boy or a girl?"

Rick kissed her shoulder, hands on her bottom as he lifted her up to sink into her, inch by slow inch, "Another little girl would be nice."

"I don't think Tyra would be all that happy to share you," kissing his face, she smiled into his blue eyes, seeing the hot desire he held in check for the sake of their conversation, "But one thing I do know –"

"We're going to love our baby so much," kissing her mouth, he pulled out just to move into her again, taking his time to enjoy the feel of her gripping him before doing it again, his stroked slow and even, "Baby will be so lucky to have you for a mama."

Leah kissed his mouth, moving her lips over his jaw and down his throat, her fingernails digging into his shoulders as he picked up his speed just a fraction, enough to make her groan, whispering into his ear one last though before she stopped thinking altogether, "Baby will be lucky to have you for a Daddy."

* * *

_June 13__th__  
4:28PM_

Emmie skipped into the kitchen, her dark hair in two braids down her shoulders, heavy bangs across her forehead and black rimmed glasses perched on her turned up nose, "Mama."

Leah stopped chopping the vegetables, setting the knife down to turn her attention to her eldest daughter, "Yes baby."

"Can we plant a vegetable garden," Emmie pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose –she had been diagnosed with hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, halfway through third grade.

"Don't you think it's a bit late in the year," Leah reached out to touch her cheek, a slight ache in her heart –her little girl was losing that baby roundness to her face.

"Nope," Emmie shook her head, pushing her glasses up again, "We can plant sweet potatoes and cherry tomatoes. In July, we can plant pumpkins and beans."

"Okay," she smiled down at her, able to hear the TV in the living room, "We can put in a garden under the kitchen window since we already have flower gardens in the front."

Emmie gave her a big grin, spinning around to run back into the living room, stopping when Leah called after her, "What are you watching?"

"Home and Garden," she gave her mother a big smile over her shoulder, "We can find all we need at our local home improvement store."

The laughter was instantaneous, thinking how accurately she must have mimicked the show's host.

Her seven year old soon to go into fourth grade daughter didn't watch cartoons but spent her summer and winter breaks enriching her mind through learning shows, books and self-appointed experiments.

Such as the potato spuds in jars lined up on the ledge outside her kitchen window, each jar carefully labeled.

Picking up the chopping knife, Leah went back to cutting up the vegetables for the pot roast she was making using a new recipe Vivi had e-mailed her –that little girl had a serious thing about food.

A knock at the back door had her look up as she called out, "Come in."

She grinned as Embry walked into the kitchen, closing the door with his foot as he set two bags of books and a box with sundry items on the kitchen table, "Hey Em! How was orientation?"

"Dragged for hours," Embry opened the refrigerator to take out the pitcher of lemonade, taking the glass she handed to him, "Going for a Master's in Engineering –not the brightest idea."

Leah laughed as she turned her attention back to the cutting board, "I think it's one of your brightest."

"Mou!"

"Hey Princess," Embry set down the pitcher and glass on the counter, turning to lift her up into his arms for a hug, "What you up too?"

Emmie giggled as she reached up to remove her glasses, "I'm going to grow a vegetable garden."

"Really?"

"Huh-hu," she nodded, touching a small hand to his squared jaw, "I want to use different fertilizers –see which one is better."

"Ah," Embry grinned as he moved towards the kitchen table, "An experiment. How many different fertilizers are you using?"

Emmie pursed her lips for a few seconds, "Three."

"And how are you going to measure their effectiveness?"

Emmie blinked, thinking hard before giving him a big smile, "Weight, appearance and taste!"

"What about growth speed?"

"Oh," her eyes widened for a few seconds before she gave his neck a squeeze, "Good idea! Will you help me?"

"Of course."

Leah shook her head as she poured beef stock over her roast rump and vegetables, "You should have registered for a Master's in science."

"Oh," Emmie gasped, her eyes widening with excitement, "I forgot you were going back to school!"

Embry laughed as he set her down on the floor, "Yep. I start next month. Now, in this box I have everything we need to go butterfly hunting."

The look of utter joy she gave him had his heart lurch, his soul blinded by her bright smile.

"We can start my butterfly display!"

And that, right there, was the sole purpose for Embry's existence.

* * *

_June 20__th__  
4:30PM_

Julie knocked on the door, shifting on her feet as she looked over the front of the house –it was a whole lot different from the last time she had seen it.

The teal colored door opened, Julie's eyes growing wide at the sight of Rose, "Oh my God! Are you carrying twins?"

Rose shushed her, moving awkwardly to take her purse from the hallway table, "Don't let Seth hear you. He's already freaked out enough as it is."

"I bet he is," Julie couldn't take her eyes off Rose's round belly, "I never thought a woman your size could…grow that much."

"Nice safe, Julie," Rose wrinkled her nose at her as she took her cardigan sweater from the back of the armchair where she had placed it earlier, "I still have one more week to go. I can't possible stretch anymore. Seth! I'm going out."

Not even five seconds passed before Seth walked into the living room, his graphite pencil behind an ear while he held a gum eraser in one hand, "Going out? Where?"

"Julie and I have dinner reservations at _Bella Italia_."

Seth's eyebrows lowered over his brown-green eyes, "That's in Port Angeles."

"I'm aware of that," Rose held out her beige cardigan, giving him a look that let him know she wasn't in the mood for his over-protective behavior, "Vivi's over at Nika's and Marc's at Sam's with Gabe and the twins."

"Rose," Seth walked across the living room, taking the offered cardigan and helping her put it on, "I don't think this is such a good idea."

Rose let out a sigh, reminding herself to be gentle with him –he couldn't help himself, "I'll be fine. I still have a week to go and I'm not feeling any discomfort."

"Rose –"

"Stop," Rose pulled his head down to softly kiss his mouth, "I'm going to be okay. I have my cell phone and Julie will be with me the entire time."

He let out a sigh, nodding as he lifted her small hand to press a kiss against her palm, squeezing it before looking over at Julie, "You look after her –call me if anything happens."

"Goodness gracious," Rose worked hard not to roll her eyes, giving his hand one last squeeze before she stepped out onto the porch, "We have to go or we'll miss our reservations."

Seth dipped his head for one last kiss, leaning against the door frame to watch as his wife waddled down the walkway with Julie beside her, a silver Lexus parked at the curb, "Nice car, Jules."

Julie looked up at him as she disengaged the locks using the remote key in her hand, shrugging as she walked around the front towards the driver's side, "The record label insisted on it –had it waiting for us when we flew into Sea-TAC."

He waved as they drove away, watching the car until it disappeared around the corner.

Looking up at the sky, he let out a sigh –he needed to finish his design so back to work he went.

The conversation between Julie and Rose was friendly, their friendship still a little shaky but both were willing to work at it.

Throughout dinner, they talked about the changes to their lives, both the planned and the unexpected. When the check came, Julie insisted on paying for their dinner being she had extended the invite, Rose giving up the fight and agreeing to Julie's suggestion of a walk along the pier.

"It's starting to wear on him," Julie slid her hands into the back pockets of her black jeans, "I'm working so hard to win them over but…"

Rose kept one hand on the railing, looking over at Julie as the breeze stirred her long hair, "His dad isn't easy to please but I can't imagine his mom giving you a hard time."

"She's really sweet," Julie looked out at the water, letting out a sigh before looking down at Rose, "But she's constantly looking over our shoulders –she put us in separate bedrooms, for God's sake."

Rose laughed, tugging at the collar of her cardigan, "That must be difficult for you two. How's Lian handling the blindness?"

Julie shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest, the short waist leather jacket she wore over a blue tank top bunching behind her arms, "He's got his days…sometimes I have to coax him out of his bedroom –his parents try talking to him but he shuts them out…especially his dad," she reached up to wipe a tear away, kicking a rock as she continued.

"He hasn't touched his guitar since he came out of the hospital…he's got so much inside him he needs to get out but the only way he knows how is through music –he seems to think without his sight, he can't do it that way anymore and doesn't know any other way."

Rose stopped, taking a deep breath then letting it out, the furrow between her eyebrows smoothing out, "I'm sure if anyone can help him see he can still make music, it's you."

Julie looked over her shoulder, stopping to let Rose catch up, "We need to find out own place –get away from his parents."

"Are they that bad?"

"His dad," Julie started walking again once Rose caught up with her, "Julian will be having a good day, joking around his mom then his dad starts in on how going into the white man's world led him to losing his sight…then he'll start harping on Lian's betrayal of his roots because he's marrying me –I'm not even white!"

Rose chuckled, stopping again to catch her breath before she spoke, "I've never met anyone more racist than Mr. Young. He didn't attend our wedding because I'm not Native American and wasn't shy about saying so."

"I don't know how someone can be so narrow minded," Julie kept walking, so immersed in her thoughts she didn't notice Rose had stopped abruptly, "I know it's ridiculous but when I think about telling Julian the truth…about me, I…I get so afraid he'll react the way his dad reacted when he met me."

"Julie…"

"I know, I know, it's stupid. Lian's nothing like his father but sometimes…sometimes it just overwhelms me, thinking he won't accept me even though he's always having me tell him about mermaids and the family legends."

"Julie…"

"I'm being stupid, I know. He says he loves me…promised he'll love me no matter what but…oh God, I have to tell him soon. I'm running out of time."

"Julie!"

She turned at the sound of urgency in Rose's voice, her eyebrows lowering when she didn't see anything out of the ordinary, "What's wrong?"

Rose gripped the railing, her knuckles white, her other hand on her belly, her body curved as she took a deep breath, Julie's eyes lowering to the growing puddle between Rose's feet.

"I think my water just broke."


	39. Chapter 37

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Another Christmas gift! Hey, where are my reviews!  
**

**Gaby, looking forward to yours!  
Blondie -here it is, didn't keep you waiting long.  
**

**Everyone else -aren't you lucky, you won't have to wait it out.  
**

**As always, read and review -review, review, review! I expect reviews for both chapters, one for each not one for both...come one people! Inspire me!  
**

**Chapter Thirty-Seven  
**_June 20__th__  
7:35PM_

"I'm getting your seat wet."

Julie grimaced as she looked over at Rose, trying to keep within the speed limit as she drove, "I'll get it cleaned…or buy a new car."

Rose's laugh cut off as her stomach tightened, a moan of pain escaping as she gripped the armrest of the side door, knuckles white, "Oh God…this hurts!"

"So I've been told," Julie reached to press a button on her dashboard, activating the GPS system, "Directions to the nearest hospital."

Rose was breathing heavy as the contraction faded away, the GPS automatic voice giving directions to Olympic Medical Center.

"We're registered at Forks Memo –oh!"

Julie let out a yelp as Rose's hand closed around her arm, "I don't think we have time –don't squeeze that hard!"

Letting go of her arm, she reached forward to grab the dashboard as Julie ran a yellow light, _Siri_ beeping, "You have a call from Seth Clearwater. Would you like to answer?"

"Yes," Julie managed to shake off Rose's hand as she took a corner, Seth's voice filling the luxury car, "Julie, what the hell is going on?"

She wanted to ask him how he knew something was going on but under the circumstances, she didn't really care, "Rose's water broke."

"Is she okay?"

"No, I'm not okay," Rose said past gritted teeth, her breathing speeding up as another contraction began to build, "I'm in labo –oh!"

Julie yelled with her, reaching down to pry the small fingers digging into her thigh, "You're going to have me drive off the road!"

"Where are you taking her?"

Julie glanced at the GPS before answering Seth's question, "We're twenty minutes from Olympic Medical –goddamit, Rose! Stop doing that!"

"You just ran that red light," Rose pushed the words through clenched teeth, her entire body tight as she tried to breathe through the pain, her fingers moving from Julie's knee to the seat, "Seth."

"It's going to be okay, baby," the change in Seth's voice was so absolute, Julie glanced over to see the tightness around Rose's eyes relax as he reassured her, "I'll be there, okay?"

"Okay."

The line went dead as the GPS called out for Julie to turn left on the next street.

Five minutes from the emergency entrance, _Siri_ chirped again, Julie answering the call, "Where the hell are you?"

Julie's eyebrows arched in surprise as she turned right into the emergency entrance, "You're here already?"

"Yeah, I see you."

She had barely put her car in park when the passenger door was wrenched open…as in, literally wrenched off the hinges open, "You ripped the door off my car!"

"Oh, get over it," Seth growled as he reached in to undue Rose's seatbelt, "It's not like you haven't always known."

"Seth," Rose placed an arm around his neck, a soft hiccup catching in her throat, "I'm scared."

"I'm here, baby, okay," Seth pressed a kiss to her temple as he pulled her out of the car, Julie wondering what the hell she was going to do about the door as he disappeared into the hospital, still whispering into Rose's ears, "I'm right here, it's going to be okay. Just like we practiced, right baby?"

Rose nodded as he walked up to the nurse's station, rapping his knuckles against the window to get the receptionist's attention, "We need a doctor."

"Take a seat and fill this out," she didn't bother to look up, her eyes on her computer screen as she pushed one of the pre-made admission clipboards through the window's opening, looking up in wide-eyed surprise at Seth's growl, "She's in labor, you stupid bitch."

"Seth," Rose gave him a look of surprise that quickly morphed into pain as another contraction gripped her lower back, quickly moving forward, "Oh God! This really hurts!"

"How far apart are the contractions," the receptionist picked up the phone receiver, dialing a number as she motioned for someone to bring a wheelchair.

"I don't know," Seth looked at his wife, her hazel eyes glazed in pain, "Do you?"

"I haven't exactly been counting," Rose groaned as her muscles slowly relaxed, "But they're really close together."

"Do you have her ID," the receptionist's eyebrows arched as Seth refused to put his wife into the wheelchair, "Sir, it would be best if you –"

"Look," Seth snapped at her, Rose trying to breathe through another contraction so she didn't tell him to be nice, "I don't have her ID and I have no intention of putting her down until you get us a room so how about you do that –now?"

"I've got her purse," Julie's voice carried through the waiting room as she ran in, shoving the purse into the nurse's arms, "Do you need me to do anything?"

"Call my mom," Seth followed the nurse and receptionist, the wheelchair staying in the middle of the hall as Julie followed behind, "Call Leah and ask her to pick up Vivi –she's at Jared and Kim's. She's already got Marc."

"Okay," Julie nodded, stopping in place as the nurse led them through a set of double doors, taking her iPhone from her purse and scrolling through the numbers until she realized she didn't have the ones she needed.

Letting out a sigh, she dialed the number to the Young's household, a couple of rings sounding in her ear before it was picked up, "Hello?"

"Mr. Young, this is Julie," she bit her lip at the heavy silence on the other end of the line, "Is Julian available?"

"Hold on," silence followed for several seconds before she heard him yell out, "Lian, phone call."

"Who is it?"

"Her."

"She has a name, Dad," Lian's voice was tight with barely suppressed anger as he picked up the phone, "Hey, babe. You going to be late?"

"Actually…I'm at the hospital."

"What happened?"

"Rose's water broke. Seth asked me to call everyone but I don't have their phone numbers."

"I'll do that for you."

"Thanks, Lian. Hey –see if you can catch a ride with someone. We're at Olympic Medical Center."

* * *

_June 20__th__  
Two Hours Later_

She looked up from the magazine she was reading as Seth walked into the waiting room –she had been shown up to the fourth floor where the labor and delivery unit was –Rose had been admitted and put into one of the private delivery rooms.

"How is she," Julie set the magazine aside, standing up as Seth paced before her, running his fingers through his hair.

"She's two centimeters dilated so they won't give her an epidural yet," Seth growled, gripping the back of his neck for a few seconds before gesturing towards the double doors, "Those fucking idiots actually suggested for me to take a walk –give her space. She doesn't need space –she obviously didn't want me to go but that bitch of a nurse actually pushed me out the door."

"I'm sure they're looking after her," Julie tried to assure him but he wasn't listening –not when he needed to vent.

"Her damn doctor doesn't have privileges here," Seth fisted a hand in his hair, giving it a vicious tug as he turned to pace back the way he'd come, "I'm not sure about that jackass they brought in –what the hell is the problem with the people in this hospital?"

Julie didn't see any other alternative, giving him a hard slap across the face as soon as he turned to face her, "Get your shit together –Rose doesn't need you falling apart right now."

Seth stared at her in shock, his tongue moving to touch the inside of his cheek, the metallic taste of blood almost making him gag, "God…that fucking hurt."

"Good," Julie slipped her thumbs into the back pockets of her black jeans, doing a very good job at hiding the throbbing pain that was her hand, "Now that you're back to being sane, go back in there and just take it like a man…you're the one that got her pregnant so now you be strong and help her through it."

He nodded, heading back towards the double doors that led to the L&D unit, looking over his shoulder, "Did you call my mom?"

Julie rolled her eyes, "You're such a mama's boy. Lian called me ten minutes ago –they're thirty minutes away."

"Thanks Jules."

"Any time you need slapping, just let me know," she gave him a big grin as he chuckled, the doors swinging shut before she moved to the nurse's station, "Excuse me?"

"Yes?"

"Can I have a glove filled with ice, please?"

* * *

_Seven Hours Later  
June 21__st__, 4:26AM_

"Okay, it looks like we're ready to push," the doctor looked up from between Rose's knees, the surgical hat he wore black with printed yellow happy faces –Seth thought it made him look like an idiot, "When your next contraction hits, I want you to push, okay Rose?"

She shook her head, her face sweaty as she looked up at Seth, "I'm so tired…you do it."

Seth gave her a smile as he pressed a kiss against her forehead, brushing back the wet tendrils of hair sticking to her neck and face, "I wish I could, baby –"

"No, you don't," Rose groaned as the contraction started building, her fingernails digging into the palms of his hands, "You wouldn't be able to take the pa –ahh!"

Seth held on tight as she bore down, her body almost doubling over with the effort as she held her breath, pushing as hard as she could.

"Okay, that's good, that's good," the doctor did whatever he was supposed to do while being down there, the nurse handing him gauze after gauze, "Just relax, breathe then push with the next one."

Rose collapsed into Seth's arms –he had been allowed to sit on the bed behind Rose with her between his legs, his chest supporting her back, "You're doing so great, baby. I'm so proud of you."

"You ever get me pregnant again," Rose hissed as the pain started building again, "I'll kill you –oh God!"

Holding on to her hands as she pushed, he tried to breathe but as long as she held her breath, so did he, his entire body shaking in exhaustion.

"We're almost there," the doctor gave her an encouraging smile, "One more push, Rose, and the head will be out."

"_Tienes cara de idiota__,_" Rose growled at him, Seth's face showing shock as she let out a long moan, her hands gripping his –it was time to push again. ***You look like an idiot***

"I see the top of the head," the doctor kept his eyes on what he was doing, guiding the small head out as the nurse handed him a bulb syringe, "The head's out!"

Rose let go of one of Seth's hands, reaching down between her legs, tears springing to her eyes as she touched the top of her baby's head, a sharp cry rendering the air as the doctor cleared its' nose and mouth, "He's here, Seth –he's here!"

"It could be a girl," Seth insisted as the doctor grinned up at them, "One more push, Rose, and we'll find out if it's a boy or girl."

She nodded, gripping Seth's hand as another contraction started building, her breathing harsh as she gathered what little strength she had and pushed, letting out a scream just as the doctor crowed, "It's a boy!"

Rose fell into Seth's arms, crying as she watched the doctor hand the baby to a nurse, "Is he okay? Why is she taking my baby?"

The doctor gave her a smile or reassurance, noticing the look of awe on Seth's face as he watched his baby kicking and screaming, "They're just going to weigh him, take his vitals –we'll get him right back to you."

Rose sniffed, reaching up to pull Seth's head down as she tilted her head back, kissing his mouth again and again, "Thank you…thank you."

"Why," Seth cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek, "You're the one that did all the work –you're amazing, Rosie."

"Here's your son," the nurse placed the baby in Rose's arms, smiling as the new parents turned their eyes to the small scrunched up face, neither ashamed of the tears leaving tracks down their faces.

* * *

_June 21__st__  
8:35AM_

Leah looked up as the double doors opened, lifting Alyx into her arms as she stood up, everyone else in the waiting room following suit as Seth walked through the doors, a dazed look on his face, "Well? Is the baby here?"

Seth nodded, his face breaking into a smile, "I have a son."

Cheers broke out, the guys laughing as Seth nodded, still out of it as his mother hugged him, "Congratulations!"

"What's his name," Vivi tugged at Seth's hand, smiling up at him as Seth looked down at her, his brown eyes wide, "I don't know…"

Leah laughed, shaking her head as she pulled her little brother into a hug, Alyx having wiggled out of her arms to join his brother at the back of the waiting room where the toys were, "I'm sure you'll come up with something."

"What does he look like," Emmie asked, hopping on the balls of her feet, her dark hair pulled into a ponytail that tickled the base of her neck.

"He looks…" Seth's mouth twisted wryly before he let out a chuckle, "A little like a red monkey."

"Uncle Seth," Emmie exclaimed in shock, her blue eyes going wide, "There's no such thing as red monkeys."

They all laughed, Seth taking the congratulatory hugs from the girls, his pack brothers slapping his back.

"So how much did he weigh," Collin asked, taking a swallow of his bottled water as Lyn went back to playing with Eden Marie, Daisy sitting on Brandon's lap as Julie leaned into Lian's side.

"She was amazing," Seth was staring off into space, the state of dazed awe he was in showing on his face, "I just…I can't get over how awesome she is."

"That's great and all," Sam clapped a big hand on Seth's shoulder, "But we want to know how much the baby weighed."

"Eight pounds," asked Brandon with a hopeful tone, Paul looking up from playing hide-the-quarter with Skye and Marilynn, "Nine pounds?"

"Ten," Rick asked, bouncing Tyra on his knee as Seth kept shaking his head.

"There's no way she pushed out an eleven pound baby," Collin said in disbelief, all the guys groaning as Seth grinned, "Five pounds, eight ounces –but he's twenty two inches long."

"Yes," Sue exclaimed, throwing her arms up in victory before she turned to look at the guys, "That's four hundred dollars."

"Ma," Seth stared in shock at his mother, shaking his head as she turned to look at him, "What? I'm opening a college fund for my grandson with that money."

"It's not that," Seth shook his head again, "How did you know he'd be five pounds?"

"You were five pounds, nine ounces," Sure grinned as the others gave her dubious stares, "I looked big enough for triplets."

Leah laughed at that, Rick leaning forward to slap her bottom, "You didn't think of mentioning that to me? Now I'm short a hundred dollars."

"I was five," Leah stuck her tongue at him, "To a five year old, everything is huge."

"I'm gonna go back in," Seth gave them all a dopey smile as he gestured over his shoulder with his thumb, "She was taking a shower and the nurse said they'll bring the baby by afterwards –we can only have two visitors at a time so…"

* * *

Rose couldn't get over how beautiful he was.

They had given him a bath, his dark hair silky, his skin so soft…

Sitting up from the reclined position she had been in, she set him on the bed between her opened legs, unwrapping him as he let out a soft sigh.

Touching his little hands, his little feet, she counted his fingers and toes, running a fingertip over the miniscule finger nails, her hands exploring his arms, his legs, his round tummy.

Tracing the outline of his ears, she smiled as he stretched, his long eyelashes fluttering but he didn't open his eyes, his tiny mouth stretching as a tiny cry escaped him.

Seth leaned against the door frame, watching his wife as she explored their son, her long dark hair tied into pigtails, her face still slightly pink from the hot shower she had taken.

Lifting him up, she brought him to her face, touching her nose to his tiny one before she softly kissed his cheek, the newborn turning his head in search of food.

"He looks hungry," Seth smiled as she looked up at him, her hazel eyes bright with the joy he was experiencing as well.

"The nurse said I should try to feed him," Rose cradled him in her arms as she leaned back into the pillows, Seth closing the door behind him before moving across the room.

Kissing the top of her head, he stretched his arm across the pillows behind her, watching as she brought his tiny mouth to her breast the way the lactation consultant had taught them, their son opening wide and sucking greedily as soon as he latched on, "Looks like I'm going to have to get used to sharing you, uh?"

Rose chuckled, gently tracing a dark eyebrow before stroking her hand over his tiny head, "We need to give him a name."

Seth sat beside her as she snuggled into his side, his other arm stretching over hers so he could have them both in his arms, "I'm thinking, since you did all the hard work, you should name him."

Resting her head on his shoulder, she watched as their son slowly drifted to sleep, his tiny mouth relaxing around her nipple, "I'd like to name him Carlos –after my father."

"Carlos Clearwater –"

"Carlos Esteban Clearwater," Rose looked up at him, his lips brushing her nose before he kissed her mouth, "Sounds like a fine name to me."

Softly pulling apart, they turned their attention to their sleeping son, both of them studying his tiny features in awe.

No question about it –Carlos Esteban Clearwater was one loved baby boy.

* * *

_June 25__th__  
3:22AM_

The cries were sharp, breaking the silence as Seth jerked awake, blinking as he looked around the room before letting out a groan.

Tossing the covers aside, he moved around the bed towards the bassinet, "Hey, little man. Its' okay, Daddy's here."

Lifting the squirming, crying baby, he softly shushed him, gently bouncing him as he moved towards the window, "Come on, Carlos –mama fed you an hour ago…you just need some guy time, right? No need to wake her up, kiddo."

Moving around the bed, he walked out of the room towards his office, Carlos' tiny head butting the underside of his chin, soft whimpers greeting his question, "How about we hang out, uh buddy?"

Keeping the main light off, he flipped the light switch of the art tables on, giving the room a soft glow as he moved around, still bouncing his knees, Carlos letting out a soft cry, "See this room, little man? Your mama put it all together for me –she painted the walls with my favorite color. Got me a suede couch because your Aunt Leah, who has a really big mouth and sells my secrets for cherry pie, told her I like suede."

One of Carlos' tiny fist pushed into his Adam's apple. Readjusting him on his shoulder, he pressed a kiss against his tiny forehead, "But my favorite part of the room is the pictures. Wanna see them?"

Moving towards the wall with the checkered photo frames, he turned sideways, pointing at one of the pictures, "That right there is my pack –they're your uncles…that right there is Sam –he's our Alpha."

Carlos let out a yawn, his tiny fist making it into his mouth as he closed his dark eyes, a soft sigh escaping him as Seth kept talking; "This here is your Aunt Leah and your Uncle Rick –see how much he looks like me? But I'm way buffer, right?"

Moving towards his desk chair, he sat down before leaning back, setting his feet on the desk's corner, Carlos' knees tucked into his tummy as he sank into sleep, "There you go. Now how about we kick back for a little while before going to bed? That way, your mama can sleep a little more."

Closing his eyes, he kept his big hand against his tiny back, the blue and green sleeper he wore a little big for the tiny baby –they couldn't use preemie clothes because he was too long and the full term clothes was too big since he was so small…for that reason, he swam in most of his sleepers.

It was thirty minutes before Seth finally stood up, flipping the lights off before heading towards the master bedroom to set him back in his bassinet, tucking the soft blanket around his legs, making sure it stayed below his waist.

Getting back into bed, he smiled as Rose turned into his arms, her head on his chest as she let out a sigh.

Closing his eyes, he kept his arms around her, letting out a soft sigh before he slowly sank back into sleep.


	40. Chapter 38

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: The Christmas gifts just keep coming! Here's the next chapter...still have one more under my sleeve but I go back to work tonight which means I can, once again, get ahead two or three chapters...especially because I already have the next chapter in my head.  
**

**Gaby -you're so wonderful with your reviews I can't help but give you more chapters. I hope you're able to read and review before I head to work but if not, I will when I come back from work on Friday.  
**

**Inosolan -thank you lovely. You too Lette and Moani.  
**

**Everyone else -enjoy as you read and make sure you review! I deserve them after giving you a triple update, don't you think?  
**

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**  
_June 28__th__  
4:28PM_

He moved through the forest trees with long, confident strides, birds chirping back and forth as the sun slowly made its' way towards the ocean.

It was a warm day with just a hint of a breeze, the heavy foliage over them keeping the surrounding area cool. The soft clinking of jars sounded with every step he took, his hands secure around her small sneakered feet as he stepped over a crack.

"Mou," she tugged at his hair, grinning down at him when he looked up at her, "Yes Princess?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Just a little further," he easily stepped over a fallen log, chuckling at the rain of pine needles over his head –she had stretched her arms up over her head to touch the high branches that were now within her reach, "It won't take long."

"Okay."

The silence between them was comfortable, Emmie having no need to fill the silence with chatter as she looked around, able to see so much more from her high vantage point.

"Here we are."

She let out a soft gasp as he broke through the trees into a clearing filled with wildflowers of all colors, the sun slanting across the meadow, "It's beautiful!"

Embry laughed as he lifted her off his shoulders, setting her on her feet before him, "I knew you would like it. How about you find the perfect spot for our picnic?"

"Okay!"

Embry watched her run across the meadow, stopping every once in a while to tilt her head back for a few seconds before moving to another spot.

Minutes passed as she kept searching but he didn't hurry her up, simply set the bag of jars by his feet as he leaned against a tree, loving the sight of her careful examination of every inch of the small clearing.

"I found it," she yelled, spinning around to grin at him, the sun bringing out the blue of her eyes as she waited for him to reach her, "Put the blanket here."

Chuckling, he lowered the bag of jars before taking off his backpack where he had the blanket, food and whatever necessary items she insisted on bringing along.

Undoing the clips that held the blanket to the top of the backpack, he spread it out as she carefully began to pull out the jars from the burlap sack, setting them neatly next to each other in a row, "What do you say we eat our sandwiches before we start hunting?"

Emmie looked over at him, her hair in two braids down her shoulders with purple ribbons at the end, "Did your mama make ham sandwiches?"

"Yep," Embry began to pull out the food, two wrapped sandwiches in a Ziploc bag, a thermos of lemonade, two snack sized bags of chips and another Ziploc bag with eight cookies, "She also send some of her cookies."

"Yummy," Emmie turned to finish setting her jars on the ground –she had brought ten of them –before scrambling to sit cross-legged on the blanket, taking the sandwich he handed her.

They ate in comfortable silence, Emmie halfway through her sandwich before she put it down, taking one of the chip bags and pulling it open, "Mou."

Embry swallowed the food in his mouth, taking a sip of his lemonade before answering, "Yes Princess."

"Do you think it's weird that I like bugs," she tilted her head to the side, her blue eyes looking across at him with honest curiosity, "The girls at school think I'm strange."

Embry chuckled as he uncrossed his legs, lifting his knees to his chest to rest his forearms on them, "No, I don't. I actually think it's the coolest thing ever –you're very smart, Emmie…smarter than some of the kids in your class –it makes them uncomfortable and they don't know how to act about that."

"Lili doesn't like bugs," Emmie picked up her cup of lemonade in both hands: "She likes clothes but she's not mean to me because I like bugs. The girls in my class…they all looked at me funny when I took my crickets to school for show and tell."

"I'm sorry, Emmie," Embry could feel the twinge of pain that thrummed through her, wishing he could protect her from the taunting she was going to get for being such a unique little girl, "I wish I could say it's not a big deal but kids…they can be mean, especially when they don't understand something. It doesn't mean you should change yourself just…keep the friends who really care about you and ignore the rest."

"Like Lili and you?"

"Exactly," Embry grinned at her, reaching across the space separating them to tap a finger to her nose, "The ones who really know you…they're the ones who'll let you be who you are without judging or criticizing."

She nodded, taking one of the cookies to munch on, tilting her head back to look at the position of the sun, "The fireflies should be coming out soon. Did you know that the female ones don't fly, just the males?"

Embry laughed as he put the food away, watching her move towards the jars to pick one up, struggling to open the lid but he didn't offer to help –she would just tell him she could do it on her own and more than likely, she could, "Did you know there's a species called _Photuris_ fireflies where the females light up to attract males so they can eat them?"

Emmie spun around to give him a wide eyed look, "Just like the praying mantis! Do you think we could find one of those?"

"I don't know if they're around these areas –most _mantes_ species are tropical."

Emmie wrinkled her nose in disappointment but she didn't whine, simply moving towards the edge of the trees.

Pulling out the collapsible net he'd bought for their butterfly expedition, he picked up a jar and followed behind her, "How about we catch a couple of butterflies and dragonflies while the sun goes down?"

Emmie gave him a big grin, nodding in agreement right before her eyes opened wide. Pointing a small finger behind him, she whispered excitedly, "There's one over there!"

And off they went on their hunt.

* * *

_July 10__th_

"Are you fucking insane," Brad looked over the edge, certain his sister had finally lost her brains, "There's no way we're jumping this."

"Don't be such a baby," Bailey kicked off her worn sneakers, pulling off her socks, colored threads weaved into a braid tied around her left ankle, "It's not like we're jumping from there."

She pointed at the cliff fifteen feet above the one they were at, Marc tightening the straps of his swimming trunks as Brad looked over the edge again, "We're so totally gonna die."

"No, we're not," Bailey yanked her shirt over her head, throwing it over her sneakers, the navy blue one piece suit she wore a bit tight around the chest –she'd had it since she was nine, "We're Uleys –that means we're invincible."

"And I'm a Laskaris," Gabe stuffed his socks into his shoes, hanging his t-shirt off a branch before he moved to the edge of the cliff to look down at the crashing waves, "Untouchable."

"You're all fuckin' idiots," Marc moved to stand next to Gabe, all three looking down as Bailey removed her jean shorts, "If we get caught, the rest of our summer break is screwed."

"But we'll always have the rush of this," Bailey pulled at the bottom of her suit before moving to stand beside her brother, "Ready?"

"Let's all jump at the same time," Gabe rubbed his hands, adrenaline already rushing through him as he kept his eyes on the crashing waves below, "So no one chicken's out."

"I'm not gonna chicken out," Brad shoved Gabe, rubbing his hands on his swimming trunks as he eyed the rocks at the base of the cliff, "But maybe we should take a running leap? To avoid the rocks?"

"We probably should," Marc stepped back, elbowing Gabe in the ribs to give himself more space, "Everyone knows how to swim, right?"

"It's kind of a given when you live by the beach," Bailey took the hair tie around her wrist and tied her hair back, swiping her long bangs out of her eyes, "A running leap, we all jump at the same time."

They all nodded, taking ten steps back from the ledge before Gabe yelled out, "Go!"

Running, the edge coming fast, all four jumped into nothingness, their screams echoing throughout the reservation as they dropped the ten feet into the ocean, the cold water closing over their heads, the tide pulling them down a couple more feet before they kicked, swimming up to the surface.

"Awesome," Gabe yelled as soon as he broke through the surface, his heart beating hard against his chest, Brad popping up several feet to his left, "We totally need to do that again!"

"That was fuckin' insane," Marc yelled, shaking his shaggy hair out of his eyes, looking around for Bailey before swimming towards shore as soon as she popped up out of the cold water.

"Totally bitching," Bailey yelled, throwing her arms up over her head, going under briefly before she came up for air, her breaststroke strong as she headed towards the shore, the guys already walking out of the ocean, shaking the salt water out of their hair.

"What the fuck is wrong with you four!?"

Bailey froze, the waves crashing around her legs as she looked up along with the three boys, her dad bearing down on them as he stomped across the pebbled beach.

Yeah…summer was officially over.

* * *

_July 14__th__  
1:45AM_

_The sun was bright, touching everything with warm pools of light, the red hue of her skin almost shimmering as beads of water rolled down her throat, the pulsing beat of her rushing blood visible under the delicate skin of her throat._

_He could feel his mouth watering, his body tingling strangely as he watched her move to the edge of the cliff, her dark hair sliding over her shoulders as she looked down, briefly hiding her face._

_He stood still, holding his breath as she tossed her hair back, exposing her throat to him before she lifted her arms up above her head –he could see her pulse beating against the pale skin stretched over her wrist bones, the delicate color of her veins beautiful as they made their way throughout her body, carrying the bright red blood that was her life source._

_Stretching her arms over her head, she arched her back, the sun slanting over her face, her lips red, her eyes dark as she turned to look at him –_

Marc jerked awake, his breathing harsh as he tried to gather his scattered thoughts –what the hell had that been?

Lying back onto the bed, he couldn't figure out why he was feeling so strange –his body was so tight it was shaking.

Taking a deep breath, his eyebrows lowered as he sat up, pulling his bed sheets aside. His face flushed as he gingerly touched the wet fabric of his pajama bottoms –had he actually wet himself?

Climbing out of bed, he stripped the sheets from his bed, grabbing a clean pair of underwear and pajamas before heading to the bathroom, softly giving Einstein the command to stay.

Stuffing the sheets into the hamper, he tossed his clean clothes onto the sink, turning the hot water on in the shower before stripping, hiding his soiled clothes between the crumbled sheets in the hamper –he hoped his aunt didn't ask, it was just too embarrassing for the eleven year old boy.

The hot water sluiced over his body, muscles tight as he fought with the strange achy feelings inside him, spitting out venom that kept pooling in his mouth.

Grabbing the washcloth and soap, he hissed as soon as the rough fabric touched his skin, completely surprised at how sensitive he was.

Scrubbing harder, he bit back a groan at the sharp stab of pleasure that zapped through him.

What the fuck was happening to him?

* * *

_Two Days Later  
2:33PM_

The smell of wet dirt always had a calming effect on Marc but he didn't know why –for some reason, the musty scent made him think of home…but he didn't know where just…home.

"Hey Marc! Wait up!"

He flushed at the sound of her voice keeping his eyes on the ground as she reached him, Einstein several feet up ahead.

"Your aunt told me you were walking Einstein," Bailey shoved her hands into her jeans' pockets, smiling as Einstein trotted towards her as soon as he heard her voice. Reaching out, she scratched between his ears before he trotted off again.

"Yeah," Marc didn't look at her or even teased her the way he normally did, moving away from her so he wouldn't accidentally touch her.

"We usually do that together," Bailey looked over at him, Einstein further up the path, nose to the ground –it was almost like he believed if he tried hard enough, he would be able to smell.

"I have a lot of stuff to do today," Marc kicked at a pine cone, watching it skip and bounce along the forest ground, "I couldn't wait around for you."

"Oh," Bailey looked at him, wondering why he wasn't looking at her, "Okay."

The silence was tense, both of them feeling awkward in a way they hadn't felt since the bear attack.

"Why won't you look at me," Bailey asked, her blunt question not surprising Marc but definitely making him blush as he shrugged, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"When you talk," Bailey moved to stand before him, forcing him to stop walking, "You won't look at me. Why?"

"No reason," he lifted a shoulder, moving to step around her but she blocked him again as she asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," he shook his head, his shaggy hair falling over his eyes, "It's nothing Bailey."

"You're acting weird –"

"Will you stop nagging," he finally snapped, his eyes dark as he looked at her face for the first time, "It's not like I like you or whatever."

It was brief but he saw a flash of pain in her dark brown eyes before she scowled at him, "You're right –it's not like we're friends."

"Bailey –"

"You're an asshole," Bailey spun on her heels, running into the trees as Marc's head dropped back with a groan before chasing after her, "Bailey! Hold on!"

"Go to hell!"

Picking up his speed, he tackled her onto the ground, grabbing her wrists to keep her from punching him in the face, "I'm sorry –"

"I don't care," Bailey tried to throw him off, his voice cracking slightly as he growled, "Stop –moving!"

Something in the way he said it had her freeze in place, Marc scrambling off her as soon as she did, drawing up one knee to rest his forehead on it, his words muffled yet audible, "I had this…this weird dream…"

Bailey sat up, her ponytail lopsided from the struggle with Marc, her long bangs falling over her eyes, "About me?"

"Yeah…"

She stared at him but he wouldn't look at her, "So what? You think I'm gonna think you have a crush on me?"

Marc's head snapped up, "No!"

Bailey rolled her eyes, pushing herself off the forest ground, "You need to talk to someone about your stupid dream."

"Bailey –"

"Don't talk to me until you stop being a dick."

He watched her walk away, burying his face into the crook of his elbow with a groan as Einstein pressed his cold nose to his cheek.

She was right –he needed to talk to someone…but whom?

* * *

_July 20__th__  
8:45AM_

The look of intense concentration on her little round face had him biting back a laugh, his words slightly choked as he encouraged her, "Kick it right down the middle, _moro mou_."

Wrinkling her nose, Tyra kicked out with her left foot, the blue ball flying towards Zaky, who let out a cheer, "Good job, Ty!"

Tyra clapped her little hands, a big smile blooming across her face as the breeze played with the fine blond curls that framed her face, "You go, Zak."

Zak kicked the ball towards Rick, laughing as Tyra jumped up and down in excitement, "Me Daddy! Kick to me!"

Laughing, he punted it towards her but she still missed it, the blue ball rolling into the forest, Rick calling after her as she toddled after it.

Marc stepped out from the trees, the blue ball in his hands as Einstein bounded playfully towards Tyra, the little blond giggling as he sniffed her neck.

"Hey Marc," Rick grinned at him, laughing as Tyra chased after Einstein, the dog staying within the backyard boundaries, teasing Tyra by slowing down then skipping away just as she was about to grab him around the neck, "What you up too?"

Marc lifted a shoulder, dropping the ball before kicking it to Zaky, the five year old punting it towards his father, "Just walking around…"

"How's your summer going?"

"Boring since I'm not allowed to hang out with my friends," Marc easily stopped the ball, kicking it towards Zak again as Rick laughed, "You four did such a good job of proving to Sam you're a danger to each other when you're together."

"It was just a ten foot drop," Marc muttered sullenly, still certain being banned from hanging out together for the rest of the summer wasn't a punishment befitting the crime, "And we didn't get hurt."

"But you could have," Rick arched an eyebrow at him, Zaky leaving the ball to help Tyra catch Einstein, the bluetick hound letting out a happy bark as he now evaded the two of them, "Just because nothing happened doesn't mean it's okay to do it."

Marc shrugged, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans, dragging the toe of his sneaker across the dirt –Uncle Rick always made it so Marc could see the other side of any situation, "I guess…is Aunt Leah in the house?"

"Go right on in," Rick walked across the backyard to pick up Tyra, the little girl having tripped on a rock, her big brown-green eyes filling with tears as Zaky kneeled beside her, the empathy he felt for her evident in his bright blue eyes, "The twins are at their grandmother's and Emmie's with Embry planting pumpkins in his backyard."

"Where's Gabe?"

Rick didn't answer, simply arching an eyebrow as he examined Tyra's little hands, brushing the dirt and pebbles from them before pressing a kiss to each little palm, "You're okay, _agoraki_. Do you want to go get some ice cream?"

Tyra sniffed, rubbing the back of her hand under her nose as she nodded, looking over at her big brother then at her Daddy, "Zak too?"

"Yep," Rick lifted both of them up into his arms, their giggles high as he headed around the house, the two little ones waving good-bye to Marc and Einstein.

The eleven year old boy stood there for a few seconds, wondering what he should do –he really wanted to talk to Leah but Gabe was over at his house playing with Vivi…probably holding her hand.

Letting out a frustrated growl, he stomped towards the back door, deciding this once, he was going to have to let that go –he really needed to know what was going on with him so he could make things right with Bailey.

She had become his friend –something he valued very much because she knew exactly who and what he was but found something good enough in him that she would be his friend.

Leah looked up from the laptop on the kitchen table where she had been doing a bit of research, smiling as he closed the door behind him, "Hey Marc! What a surprise to see you here."

Marc lifted his shoulders in a shrug, pulling out a kitchen chair to sit across from her, "I can't hang out with Brad, Bailey and Gabe so…"

Leah laughed, closing the laptop and pushing it aside before standing up to get a couple of glasses and the pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator, "I know it seems like a harsh punishment but you only have one more week left –hopefully, you four will learn your lesson."

Marc arched an eyebrow in response, taking the glass of lemonade from her, "You think?"

Leah chuckled, taking a few of the chocolate chip cookies from the cow shaped cookie jar and placing them on a napkin for him before she sat down with her own glass of lemonade, "I can only hope. So what's got you worried?"

Marc nibbled on a cookie, the toe of his sneaker rubbing against the tiled floor, "I just…Bailey is mad at me…and I…I…I don't know how to fix it."

"What happened," Leah gave him a soft smile, dark hair framing her face in a way that made Marc let out a sigh –she was always going to be the most beautiful woman to exist for him, "I had this…weird dream…and she was…I don't like her or anything so I don't know why she's in my dream but now I can't look at her because it's embarrassing."

Leah chuckled softly, looking down at her glass of lemonade before she took a sip, "This dream you had about Bailey…what happened after you woke up?"

Marc's face flushed, his dark brown eyes dropping to the table as he rubbed his finger against the grain of the wood, his other hand tight around his glass, "I, um…I had to take a shower 'cause…uhm…I…I wet the bed."

"Oh Marc," Leah stood up, moving to sit on the chair nearest him to reach out and squeeze his shoulder, "You didn't talk to your Uncle Seth about this?"

Marc shook his head, still not looking up, his dark hair falling over his eyes –he really needed a haircut, "It's too embarrassing."

"Marc," Leah waited until the young boy looked up at her, smiling into his chocolate brown eyes, "What happened was completely normal…it's part of transitioning from a boy to a young man. It's part of puberty."

"Puberty," Marc's voice cracked slightly, his eyebrows lowered into a deep vee.

"You know what puberty is, right?"

Marc nodded, gnawing on his bottom lip for a few seconds, "Our PE teacher told us about it last year 'cause some of the boys in my class smell really bad."

Leah laughed, ruffling his hair, "That's one of the many signs of puberty –your hormone levels are starting to change and it causes all sorts of changes –from the way you smell to that crack in your voice."

"What about the dream?"

"It's called a wet dream," Leah gave him a gentle smile, the deep red blush on his cheeks reminding her this was not going to be the last time she'd talk about this, "You somewhat understand why, right?"

He nodded, his bottom lip tucked firmly between his straight white teeth as Leah kept explaining, "It's when your body responds…sexually for the first time."

The look of utter horror on his face almost made her laugh as she held up her hand to keep him from interrupting, "It doesn't mean you have sexual feelings for Bailey…it's just that your body is starting to develop…you're starting to notice that girls' bodies are doing the same."

Marc blushed as he dropped his eyes to the table, his voice low, "Bailey's…getting…boobs."

"They're called breasts, Marc."

His eyes flew up to look into Leah's brown-green eyes, "The boys at school call them boobs."

"The boys at your school are dumb," Leah gently cuffed his chin, "And I know you're not."

Marc flushed with pleasure, a pensive expression appearing as he bit the inside of his cheek, "I don't…have to have a girlfriend, do I?"

"No, you don't," Leah grinned as she finished her lemonade, standing up to take the glass to the sink, "But you might want too someday. You're a very handsome boy, after all."

"The girls at school," Marc looked down as he swung his foot, his laces undone, "They're real pretty…and they smell…really, really good."

Leah could hear the slight tremble to his voice, could understand the fear that seemed to roll off him in waves, "Marc…this is going to be twice as hard on you as it is on any other boy."

"Why?"

She moved to sit down before him, covering his smaller hand with hers, "Because there are two sides of you that are changing…warring against each other. You crave human interaction –you find value in friendships, see beauty in emotional connections. You give your loyalty without hesitation; you open your heart to the ones you love without any consideration for yourself."

Marc kept his eyes on her hand, his pinky playing with the platinum rings on her third finger, watching the diamond capture the light before letting it go in forms of rainbows.

She studied him for a few seconds before reaching out to cup his face and tilt it up to look into his eyes, "But you also have another side of you, one that craves blood."

Marc couldn't hold back the shame that washed over him, his eyes closing as he nodded, "It's the part that would turn me into a monster if I let it."

Leah's jaw tightened as she captured his chin in her hand to make sure he wouldn't turn away, "Look at me."

She had to repeat herself before he opened his eyes, Leah able to see the fear he carried inside him, "You're so strong, Marc…much stronger than you believe. You have something that will keep you from ever losing your humanity."

"A soul," the skepticism in his voice had Leah mentally shaking her head as she continued, "Your heart. It's so full of love –a monster can't love…ever. You'll always have the memory of your mother's love…your father's, your sister's, your aunt's…your uncles, cousins, friends. Most importantly, you love them back."

Marc nodded, a lone tear making its way down his cheek, "I do…so much."

Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss against his forehead, running her fingers through his shaggy hair, "Don't ever let me hear you call yourself a monster or I'll kick your butt."

Marc chuckled, hooking his foot behind the chair's leg, "Aunt Leah?"

"Yes Marc."

He blushed as he picked up his glass, taking a long swallow before setting it down, "Why did I wet the bed? The dream wasn't scary or anything."

Leah's cheeks flushed slightly, "Well, uhm…you're a smart boy so I guess I could explain it to –oh! I know! I'll have my mom lend you the book."

"The book," Marc arched a dark eyebrow as he looked at her the way he always did –with complete and utter adoration.

"Yep. The book. It'll answer all of your questions…in great…detail."

"Sounds good."

"Yea…it does…"

* * *

_First Week of August_

Bailey took the bleachers two at a time, the bill of her baseball cap shadowing her face, her long black hair down around her shoulders as she caught sight of her brother and cousin.

Today were the Forks Middle School try-outs for the seventh and eighth grade baseball team and since Marc was giving it a shot, they had all come to cheer him on.

Stepping over a couple of people, she plopped beside Gabe, elbowing him when he grabbed a handful of her popcorn without asking, "That's mine."

"Whatever," Gabe shoved some of the popcorn into his mouth, his blue eyes moving over the sparsely populated bleachers, "What took you so long?"

"Flat tire," she moved the bag of popcorn out of his reach as he went for more, scooting away from him, "Maybe if you ask, I'd give you some."

"Can I have some?"

Bailey gave him a smirk before taking a long pull through the straw from her soda, "No."

Gabe rolled his eyes at her, abruptly standing up and sticking his two index fingers in his mouth, a loud sharp whistle splitting the air.

Rolling her eyes at the way he was waving his arms over his head like an idiot, she saw who he was inviting to join them, "Oh God. Do they have to sit with us?"

"Vivi's my friend, so yeah," Gabe gave her foot a kick before turning to give Vivi a big smile, the long legged redhead wearing a beige sweater with a brown corduroy skirt and brown Uggs on her feet as she moved up the bleachers to sit next to Brad, Nika –wearing a mint green sweater with black skinny jeans and black ballet flats –sitting next to her.

Gabe nudged his cousin's shoulder, "Hey, Brad, switch places with me."

Brad rolled his eyes as he did what his cousin said, Vivi laughing at something Gabe leaned in to say into her ear, her porcelain skin flushing as she reached up to tuck a long curl behind her ear, the brown headband she wore keeping the long red-gold tresses from covering her face, "He's got it bad."

Bailey looked at her brother, wrinkling her nose as she watched her cousin make a fool of himself just to make her laugh, "He's a moron."

"I don't know about that," Brad looked over at Vivi, giving Nika a smile when he caught her peeking a look at him, just like at school –he knew she had a crush on him but he didn't really care much for girls right now so he tried to be nice without being too nice, "Vivi's real pretty."

"Oh please," Bailey rolled her eyes, taking a long pull from her drink as she looked down at the field, watching the kids milling about, easily picking out Marc in his blue hat, the t-shirt and black baseball pants he wore from t-ball, "She's totally wrong for him."

Brad scoffed as he watched two girls –both from Forks Middle because he didn't recognize them –sit in the bleacher at their feet, "No wonder you and Marc have been getting along lately –do you two plot how to keep them apart?"

"Marc says Gabe's doing a good job of that for now."

Brad cocked an eyebrow, pointedly looking over to where Gabe and Vivi –sitting so close to each other no one could see they were holding hands –were talking, "Sure looks like that to me."

The coach blew his whistle, all the boys –seventh and eighth grade –lining up to be split into two teams.

This was her favorite part of sports try-outs –getting to see a game while the coach judged, picked and announced the ones that he wanted on his team.

Halfway through the game –with Marc's team ahead by two runs and currently out on the field where he was between second and third base as shortstop –she caught the conversation the two girls sitting below them were having.

"He's so cute," the blond told her friend, "I wonder if he has a girlfriend."

"I doubt it," her friend, a brunette with her hair up in a ponytail turned to look at the blond, Bailey able to study her profile, "He's really quiet in class."

"I've seen him around town, riding his bike with a girl and two other boys."

The brunette rolled her eyes as she turned her face back towards the field, "She's just a friend –I mean, have you seen her? She's always wearing jeans and those ratty shoes."

Bailey looked down at her sneakers, biting her lip as she wiggled her toes, able to see her bright pink socks –she had let Lili pick them out for her –through the worn canvas on the side, the laces dirty and frayed, tied in knots on the sides instead of the front.

"I bet he likes pretty girls," the blond tossed her long hair over her shoulder, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees, "I mean, have you seen his little sister? She's gorgeous."

"I know," the brunette let out a sigh, watching as Marc scooped the ball the batter had hit, tossing it to second base who tagged the runner before tossing it to first base thus getting the last two outs needed, "Probably likes them smart too…which is why I'm sure that girl is just his friend –she's from the reservation…a dumb Indian –oh my God!"

Brad bit back a laugh as the brunette jumped up, arching her back like a cat, her pink sweater soaked with cold soda. She turned to glare at Bailey who gave her an innocent smile, "Sorry…my hand slipped."

The Uley twins watched in amusement as the brunette's face turned a deep red, her mouth opening like a big mouthed fish but nothing came out so she turned to stomp away, her blond friend following after her.

Brad looked at his sister with a big grin, "Remind me never to piss you off."

"That was nothing," Bailey shook her foot where some of the ice and soda had splashed her; "I was seriously contemplating scalping her."

"You're a savage."

She gave her twin a grin, "And don't you forget it."

"He got in," Vivi exclaimed, standing up and clapping as the coach continued to call out names, the ones called moving to stand behind him, "He made it!"

Bailey rolled her eyes, standing up as she readjusted her baseball cap, "As we knew he would –this is why I hate girly-girls…they're catty bitches and too damn peppy."


	41. Chapter 39

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Due to a suggestion, I've decided to start putting kids' ages on my AN whenever they come up in the chapter. As you can see, next to the chapter is an age -that's Gabriel's age due to this being his story (although it may not seem like it but I'm using others' stories to make the time pass quickly). This means that I won't be doing many shout-outs to my readers/reviewers but know that I still love you all very much and am grateful to get reviews every single chapter.  
I'll still update the family tree because it helps me stay on track.  
**

**Alyx and Andrey Laskaris -four years old, kindergarten.  
**

**One more thing -the lyrics in this chapter belong to Lee Brice and Thompson Square -being Julie and Lian are about music, is it really a surprise that I find songs perfect for them every time I turn on the radio?  
**

**Chapter Thirty-Nine (10yrs old)  
**_First Weekend of August  
1:32 AM_

_The moon's profile reflected against the phosphorescent surface of the ocean, its fingertips gently skimming over the top, the rippling waters mimicking the steady beat of its heart._

_Not many know this, specifically those who walk upon land, but the ocean had a heart –one that beat heavily, its waters crashing onto the surf with every thump._

_This heart the ocean had –it is a greedy heart, seeking those who belonged to it…for those who had yet to find acceptance._

_It was always that way with the ocean –an unforgiving and relentless search, focusing on the one just a step away from its reach, counting each second as it faded away and brought it closer to taking what belonged to it._

_As the quarter moon preened itself, using the constant moving surface of the salty waters as a mirror, the ocean's heart continued to beat its heavy rhythm, each thump calling out, again and again, redoubling its efforts to bring her unto itself –promising the only thing it could give while taking all her dreams for itself._

_Oblivion from pain and sorrow…promising a place within its cold, dark heart_

Her entire body trembled, the feel of his hands moving over the curves and dips, fingers tracing patterns against sweat slick skin, a moan building deep inside her.

Arching her back, she dragged her fingernails up his back, his breath cool against her hard nipples, causing her to shiver as he closed his mouth around a puckered peak, his hand giving the other its due attention.

"Please…" she whispered into his ear, gasping as a flash of pleasure shot down to her core when he pinched her nipple while sucking hard at the other one, "Oh God, Julian! Please –"

"Tell me what you want, baby," he moved his wet mouth up the curve of her breast, licking the pulse at her throat before nipping at the delicate skin, "Tell me and I'll give it to you."

"You," Julie moaned, a soft sob escaping her as the coil deep in her belly kept getting tighter and tighter with no promise of release, "I just want you –please…just you."

Moving his mouth up her throat and across her jaw, he found her lips, the kiss hot with carnal passion as he moved between her long legs, her core slick against the hard length of his cock.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she lifted her hips, taking him in one long deep thrust that had her splintering apart, a keening cry escaping her as she split into millions of little pieces, flying into space before sinking into the wet silkiness of her release.

"I love you, July," he panted into her ear, his hands buried in her long hair as he pushed into her, again and again, relishing the feel of her body tightening around him, the muscles of her hot, wet pussy rippling around him as he drove himself into her, "I love you –so fucking much."

Julie dug her fingers into his shoulders, her heels digging into the small of his back, urging him to move faster, to push harder, her whisper ragged as she kissed his face, "You're my soul, Julian –I couldn't live without you."

They both rushed off the cliff, clinging to each other as they experienced a high like nothing else –not even the rush of performing before thousands of fans could beat this exhilarating feeling of being together in the most basic of ways.

He kissed away her tears, holding her tight as he rolled onto his back, her slight weight settling over him as she pressed kisses against his chest.

Wrapping his arms tight around her, he kissed her forehead, long silky hair wrapped around his fingers and arm, "I've missed this so much –being able to just wake up and reach out…find you next to me, warm and soft."

"And asleep," Julie teased, tilting her head back to kiss his throat, "I must say, I much prefer being woken up this way than your mother knocking on the door to announce breakfast."

Lian hummed, moving his mouth down her nose, his own brushing over her eyelid and cheekbone before he found her mouth, his tongue moving over her top lip before he sucked on it, "Good thing we have our own place now…we can do this every night."

Julie laughed, reaching up to cup his face with her hand, her long fingers tracing the outline of his ear, "Not every night –we do need to sleep some."

"Sleep is overrated," as soon as he said that, a yawn escaped him, Julie laughing as he gave her a sleeping smile, "Maybe not."

She softly kissed his mouth, stroking her thumb over his cheek as she stared into his beautiful dark brown eyes, "Sleep, baby. I'll be right here when you wake up."

Lian closed his eyes, no change to the perpetual darkness he lived in, letting out a tired sigh as he turned his head to bury his nose into her hair, his brain shutting down, body following soon after.

Julie laid quietly on him, her eyes on the moon she could see from where she was, the dark sky littered with stars –that was something she had missed while in New York.

Closing her eyes, she tried to relax but despite how spent –not to mention, satisfied –she was feeling, her brain wouldn't shut down.

She had plans for later that week –plans to help Lian find himself within the darkness he lived in.

She needed to do that before she revealed her secret to him, before the call of the ocean became too strong to ignore.

Even now, in their little three bedroom house in Forks, she could hear it calling to her, beaconing for her to slip into the dark oblivion it offered.

_July…_

_July…_

_July…_

* * *

_Friday, Second week of August  
9:45AM_

Lian jerked awake, his heart beating frantically against his ribs as he moved his arm across the mattress –she wasn't there.

He wouldn't be feeling so much panic if he hadn't just woken up from a dream where she left him –told him he didn't have what it took to make her happy.

The silence in the room was heavy, his breathing coming fast as he sat up, knocking over the lamp on the bedside table as he tried to re-orient himself, "Julie? Julie?"

Throwing his legs over the side of the bed, he reached to the end in search of his pajama pants, the flannel fabric against his fingertips letting him know they were there, "Julie?"

A faint sound across the room had him snap his head to the side, his eyebrows lowering as he tried to figure out what it was and where it was coming from. Pulling on his bottoms, he kept one hand on the mattress, the other reaching to find the dresser which led him to the doorway, "Julie?"

The sound came again, this time louder –it was coming from the bathroom.

Stretching his arms, his fingertips brushed the walls before he felt the frame of the bathroom door several feet from the bedroom, the smooth wood of the door cool against his hand as he searched for the doorknob, "Julie? Are you okay, baby?"

As he opened the door, he realized what the sound was –his Julie was throwing up, probably hunched over the toilet, "Oh, God, honey. You're sick."

Julie moaned, her arms wrapped around the toilet, forehead leaning against her forearm as her stomach folded in on itself, the acid racing up her throat and out of her mouth.

Opening the cupboard behind the bathroom door, he felt through the items until finding the washcloths, unknowingly knocking some of them off the shelf and onto the floor as he turned towards the sink, turning on the cold water and getting the cloth wet as Julie threw up again.

"Was it last night's dinner," Lian asked, wringing the water out of the washcloth before moving towards the sound of her retching, his toes colliding with her knee, letting him know exactly where he was, "Told you homemade sushi wasn't such a good idea."

Julie's chuckle was pitiful, her body shaking as he kneeled beside her, one hand moving over her head and hair as he wiped her face with the washcloth, "I've made sushi before –and it's never made me sick."

"The fish was probably tainted," Lian gathered her hair into his fist, placing the cloth on her neck as she dry heaved, "How long have you been sick?"

"It feels forever," Julie groaned, her voice hoarse, the rawness of her throat causing tears to spring forward.

Kissing her temple, he gently gathered her in his arms, easily standing up as he turned, "Get us to the living room, baby –I'll take care of you."

"One step to your left," Julie couldn't hold her head up, the t-shirt she wore keeping her warm as he walked out of the bathroom, "One more step then turn left."

With her help, he got her to the sparsely furnished living room, gently lying her down on the couch before heading into the kitchen in search of saltine crackers.

"Third cupboard to the left of the sink, second shelf," Julie instructed him, taking the damp washcloth from the back of her neck and placing it over her eyes, "God, I hope this passes soon."

"Got plans for today," Lian found the box, opening it and pulling out one of the sleeves, placing the box back where it was before he headed into the living room.

"I have a surprise for you."

"Ah, come on, Julie," Lian's hand ran up her leg, fingers tripping over the fabric of the shirt she wore until he touched her face, "You know I don't like going out."

"We're becoming hermits, Lian," she pushed herself up so he could sit, lying down again with her head on his lap, taking the crackers he handed her, "Besides, it'll be fun."

Running his fingers through her hair, he let out a sigh, already knowing he was going to do as she asked, "Just promise if you're still feeling sick, you'll reschedule."

She took his hand, resting it against her warm cheek as she closed her eyes, "I promise."

* * *

_5:10PM_

"One more step."

The hollow echo under his boots was so achingly familiar that he faltered, his hand tightening on Julie's, "Where are we?"

"Can't you guess," Julie took his other hand in hers, leading him forward, the hollow sound of their steps causing his heart to jump into his throat –there was once a time when that very sound had his heart pounding in excited anticipation, "I was discovered here –on this very stage."

"Posh," Lian grinned as he let her pull him along, explaining when she asked how he'd known, "I got discovered here too –I was eighteen, used to sneak out of the reservation to come play here on the weekends. Does Pierre still run the place?"

"Yes," she freed one of her hands, a scrape along the wooden floor making him wonder what she was doing, "Here, sit down."

He easily found the stool she had moved, keeping one foot on the ground as he rested the other on the bottom rung, "What are you up too, baby?"

Julie's laughter echoed in the empty space, the smell of polished wood and steel strings tickling his nose right before she placed a guitar –his guitar –in his hands, "Julie…this isn't going to work."

"Just try," she moved behind him, her lips brushing his ear as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "This is your guitar, Julian. You don't need to see to make music with her…just like you don't need to see to make love to me."

Lian's lips hitched into a one sided smile, swallowing past the lump in his throat as the guitar's curves settled familiarly onto his lap, his fingers moving along the neck, his thumb strumming over the strings as he gently coaxed one note followed by another.

"She's the only one I'm willing to share you with," Julie whispered into his ear, causing his body to react as he chuckled, his fingers still moving from one fret to another, "You're a better person than I am, then. Every time I saw you play your guitar, it would make me so damn jealous…I couldn't help but think how I would much prefer your hands on me…making my body hum the way you do with that guitar."

Julie chuckled, pressing a kiss below his ear, the beat of his heart steady under the hand she had pressed against his chest. Able to feel the warm puffs of air against his neck, he let out a slow breath before letting the notes form into a melody, his singing voice slightly rough from lack of use as he began to sing lyrics that had been trapped inside him since the accident.

_I am insensitive  
I have a tendency to  
Pay more attention to the things that I need_

_Sometimes I drink too much  
Sometimes I test your trust  
Sometimes I don't know why you're staying with me_

_I'm hard to love, hard to love  
No I don't make it easy  
I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood_

_I'm hard to love, hard to love  
And you say that you need me  
I don't deserve it but I love that you  
Love me good_

Lian played the riff a couple of times, tapping his toe in a 4/4 rhythm before picking up the lyrics.

_I am a short fuse  
I am a wrecking ball  
Crashing into your heart like I do_

_You're like a Sunday morning  
Full of grace and full of Jesus  
I wish that I could be more like you_

_Hard to love, hard to love  
I don't make it easy  
I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood_

_Hard to love, hard to love  
You say that you need me  
I don't deserve it but I love that you  
Love me good_

He turned his head to the side, his nose brushing against her jaw as he kept playing, his heart in every word that spilled from his mouth.

_Girl, you've given me a million second chances  
And I don't ever want to take you for granted  
But I'm just a man_

_I'm just a man_

_Hard to love, hard to love  
Oh I don't make it easy  
I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood_

_I'm hard to love, hard to love  
You say that you need me  
I don't deserve it but I love that you  
Love me good_

_You love me good_

He pulled his hand back, resting his wrist against the side of the guitar as the humming of the strings faded into the silent room.

He felt the tear slide down his neck, moving his guitar to the side as Julie moved to stand between his legs, her hands framing his face and tipping it back to press her lips against his. Wrapping his free arm around her waist, he pulled her in closer, his tongue moving over hers as the salty taste of her tears mingled with the sweet taste of her mouth, both focused completely on each other, neither heard the door opening.

"Oh God! Don't tell me we got invited to watch you two make out!"

They broke apart, Lian able to feel the heat of Julie's blush against his cheek but he didn't let her step away, keeping his arm around her waist as he tilted his head towards the sound of his cousin's voice, "Just something you're going to have to get used to. Why are you here?"

"We were invited," Seth answered, the sound of more people entering the club having him turn his face towards Julie, "Invited for what?"

Julie cupped the side of his face, her thumb brushing over his cheekbone as she touched her nose to his, her beautiful smile evident in her voice, "Our engagement party."

Lian laughed, tilting the last inch to kiss her again only to break apart as Derek's Idaho accented voice called out, "I did not come down here to watch you two swap spit!"

Laughter was instantaneous, chairs scraping against the floor, the smell of food coming from somewhere on the left, his hand moving down her hip to wrap around the back of her thigh as she called over her shoulder, "Dinner will be served in half an hour. If you can all be patient, the band will be set up in a few minutes and the entertainment will start."

Lian leaned forward, his forehead bumping her jaw as he whispered, "Who's the entertainment?"

He felt her smile against his forehead, her fingers spearing through his hair, "We are."

"Just make sure to keep it kosher," Lance's booming voice carried from the back, high pitched laughter and giggles evidence to his words, "We have impressionable children in the room."

Lian grinned as Julie stepped out from between his legs, the sound of her dragging something towards them no longer echoing as he lifted his guitar back in place. As soon as he felt her presence beside him –she had brought a stool and microphone with her –he turned to smile at her, "Well, being this is an impromptu performance, why don't you call the shots, babe?"

"Awww!"

Julie laughed as she adjusted the microphone's height, placing her hand on his thigh as she leaned in to whisper into his ear, his hair tickling her nose as he nodded.

Letting out a soft breath, he closed his eyes even though the outcome would be the same…it simply made him feel less vulnerable. Strumming his thumb down the strings, he tapped his toe against the floor to keep time, his long fingers moving along the neck as he began to play the opening melody to a song he and Julie had been working on before the accident had occurred.

Her voice was that low whiskey soprano that always made him shiver as she began to sing the beginning stanza.

_Sometimes it feels like, I'm gonna break  
Sometimes this world, gives more than I can take  
Sometimes, sunshine gets lost in the rain  
And it keeps pouring down  
It just keeps coming down._

He added his own voice to the chorus, holding back on the volume to echo her.

_This life would kill me if I didn't have you  
I couldn't live without you baby  
I wouldn't want to  
If you didn't love me so much  
I'd never make it through  
'Cuz this life would kill me  
This life would kill me if I didn't have you._

The feel of her hand on his thigh and her shoulder against his gave him the confidence to play the way he used too –with his heart.

_You are my heart, every breath I breathe  
I'm safe in your arms, you rescue me.  
When I'm weak, you're strong  
If you were gone I don't know where I'd be  
You were made (You were made) for me_

This life would kill me If I didn't have you  
I couldn't live without you baby  
I wouldn't want to  
If you didn't love me so much  
I'd never make it through  
'Cuz this life would kill me  
This life would kill me if I didn't have you

_If you didn't love me so much  
(If you didn't love me so much)  
This Life would kill me If I didn't have you  
(This life would kill me)_

_Couldn't live without you baby_  
_I wouldn't want to_  
_If you didn't love me so much_  
_I'd never make it through_  
_'Cuz This life would kill me_  
_This Life would kill me if I didn't have you_

The silence was absolute as the guitar notes faded, the sudden thunderous applause and cheers making them laugh as he laced his fingers with hers. Somehow, because they were family and friends, people they knew and loved, it was all the more special…

For both of them.

* * *

_Four Days Later  
9:22AM_

Lian let out a yawn, rolling over to pull Julie into his arms only to come up empty.

Lifting his head from the pillow, he listened to the silence, his heart giving a hard lurch against his ribs before settling down once he heard the faint sounds coming from the bathroom.

Tossing the covers aside, he took his pajama pants from the foot of the bed, pulling them on before moving around the bed, his fingers trailing along the edge until he turned the corner, using the dresser to guide him the rest of the way.

Reaching the bathroom, he knocked on the door before turning the knob, the stone tiles cold under his bare feet, "Julie, baby, you okay?"

"No," Julie moaned, a heavy breath escaping her before she threw up, her arms wrapped around the toilet, a sheen of perspiration covering her face, "I'm not okay."

Lian grimaced, closing the door so he could open the cupboard to search for a washcloth, "This has been going on for four days, baby. I think it's time we go see a doctor, find out what's going on."

Her voice was hoarse as she reached to grab something from the floor, "I know what's going on."

"What," he finished soaking the washcloth, wringing out the water before moving to kneel beside her, his eyebrows lowering as she nudged his hand with something, "What is this?"

"It's positive."

Lian forehead furrowed as he held the pen like think in his hand, his thumb moving over the surface, rubbing against the oval shaped depression for a few seconds before it hit him, "Posit –are you –oh God…you're pregnant."

Julie moaned as she felt her stomach fold in on itself, heaving and gagging before she could talk again, "Yes."

Lian's hand closed tight around the stick, not saying anything for a few seconds before leaning forward to press a kiss against the first part of Julie he could get too which was her shoulder, "We're having a baby."

Julie's smile was faint as she rested her cheek against her arm, watching the awe on his face, his eyes bright with unshed tears, "You're okay with that?"

"Are you kidding me," Lian set the stick on the ground, sliding his hand up her back to gently brush her hair off her face, "The idea that something might be wrong…it terrified me –but we're having a baby…" he smiled, reaching up with his other hand to wipe the cool cloth over her face, his thumb following her hairline down to her jaw, "This is normal, right? Just morning sickness?"

"_Just _morning sickness," Julie groaned, the feeling of misery washing over her, "Why can't you get morning sickness the way Seth did for Rose?"

"Seth got morning sickness," Lian placed the cool cloth on her neck, gently pulling her up on her feet before lifting her into his arms, "How is that possible?"

"It's called Couvade Syndrome," Julie rested her head on his shoulder, quietly guiding him out of the bathroom and down the hall towards the bathroom. Closing her eyes to avoid getting dizzy thus nauseous as he set her on the couch, "Rose told me he spent most of the first and second trimesters throwing up every morning."

Lian couldn't help chuckling as he made his way to the kitchen, easily finding the saltine crackers in the third shelf of the cupboard to the left of the stove, "He must have been miserable."

"Probably just as miserable as I am," Julie took one of the throw pillows and wedged it under her head, "If you won't throw up for me, will you get fat with me?"

Lian laughed, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room, his fingers bumping against her drawn up knees, "I suppose I can try although I've always had a fast metabolism."

Julie took the sleeve of crackers he offered, taking his other hand and pulling him to sit down at the edge of the couch, "You can always cut back on your activities."

Lian laughed, his fingers sliding up her arm, over her shoulder and into her hair, leaning down to press his lips against her cheek, his words hot against her soft skin, "Now, see, that I'm not willing to do."

Julie chuckled, closing her eyes as he used his mouth to explore her face, goosebumps breaking out all over her body, "Julian…"

"Yeah baby."

Julie stared into space, absentmindedly picking at Lian's pajama pants, her thoughts spinning and turning, going round and round in circles, going back where they started –it was like attempting to follow the Mobius strip.

"Julie," he ran his fingers through her hair, his lips following along her hairline towards her forehead, "What are you worrying about?"

"What if I told you I really were a mermaid?"

Lian chuckled softly, resting his forehead against her temple, his breath brushing across her face, "Didn't I tell you I would love you no matter what? If you want to believe you're a mermaid, I'll stand by you."

She nodded, turning her face to look into his eyes even though she couldn't see anything past the dark brown of his irises, the pupils not reacting at all, "I love you, Julian…you know that, right?"

Closing his eyes, he gently dropped his forehead against hers, their noses brushing as he softly whispered, "Without a doubt."

But she could hear it in his voice…he doubted…and so did she.

Pulling him into her arms, she closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her but it didn't matter how tight he held her, she could still feel the tug within her getting stronger.

_July…July…July…_

* * *

_First Week of School in August_

"You have the next hour to write a short essay on your opinion on how the world came to be," Rick set the chalk on the tray that ran along the bottom of the wall to wall blackboard, slapping his hands together to get rid of the chalk dust as he looked at his freshman students' faces.

He taught freshman and sophomore World History at Forks High School while his counterpart, Miss Reinhardt, taught juniors and seniors –quite frankly, he found it much more challenging to work with the younger ones, influencing their study habits along with encouraging a thirst for knowledge that would get them through high school and college.

"Being World History, we all know it had to begin somewhere, correct?"

His students nodded, keeping their eyes on him as he moved towards the back of the classroom where he kept his desk, "Being the beginning is such a controversial topic between different theories, it would be helpful for me to know where each of you stand on how it all began."

One of his students, a freshman girl named Ginger, lifted her hand in the air, "Yes Miss Greer."

"Does this count towards our grade?"

Smiling as he moved around his desk, he gave her a pointed look, "Forty percent of your grade is participation –this goes towards that. Any other questions? Good. You have an hour so I suggest you get started."

Sitting down as soon as all their faces turned towards their desks, he opened his grading book just as his pocket vibrated.

Looking across the classroom to make sure they were all working, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, looking at the screen to see he had a text from his wife.

**Message From: Leah  
Kinder teacher called –wants to see 1 of us**

He quickly texted her back: **Why?**

**Message From: Leah  
Don't know. First wk of school n already in trouble?**

Chuckling to himself, he looked up to check on his students before replying: **W/ A&A, better believe it. Want me to go?**

**Message From: Leah  
Can you plz? Picking up Zak, Em has Emmie and Gabe walking home with Viv.**

Looking at the clock, he saw there was still thirty minutes left of the school day: **Call and let her know I'll b there when school lets out.**

**Message From: Leah  
Thx. Luv u.**

Smiling, he sent one last reply: **Luv u more.**

* * *

Walking down the hall towards Mrs. Birden's kindergarten classroom, he played with the change in his pocket, wondering what Andrey and Alyx could have possibly done.

Knocking on the door, he opened it to step in, his eyes widening as he looked around the classroom.

There was blue paint splattered across the walls and floor, some of the desks sporting streaks of it –and seating at one of the small tables were his sons, Andrey's hair was streaked with blue paint, the white shirt his mother had wrestled him into that morning equally splattered, "What…happened?"

Mrs. Birden looked up from the book she had been reading, her tortoiseshell glasses perched at the end of her nose, "Mr. Laskaris…thank you for coming."

"Yeah," Rick moved further into the room, catching the guilty look on their identical faces, "What did they do?"

"Well," Mrs. Birden stood up, her pink blouse sporting several large spots of blue paint, "As I'm sure you know, I allow some free time before school lets out for the children to use the different stages without any prompting or guiding…helps develop their imagination."

Rick nodded as he noticed Alyx was completely devoid of blue paint, "I'm…assuming something went wrong."

Mrs. Birden's eyebrows arched as she pursed her lips, Alyx and Andrey looking over at her before they turned their blue eyes up towards him.

It was starting to hit him –the humor of the whole situation –but he still kept a straight face as he looked down at his four year old twins, "What happened?"

Andrey bit his lip, looking down at the desk as he picked at the paint, "I wanted to paint."

Alyx's bottom lip poked out in a pout as he kicked the table's leg, "I wanted to play catch."

Rick's eyes closed as he held his breath for a few seconds –it wouldn't be good to laugh, "So you decided to play catch with the paint?"

"Paint bottle," Mrs. Birden's held up the bottle of blue paint, "Before I could stop them, the thing popped open in midair."

He rubbed his mouth, hiding the smile as he shook his head, taking a deep breath before letting it go, "I…am very sorry."

"It happens," Mrs. Birden lifted a shoulder as she frowned, "Actually, in fifteen years of teaching, this is the first time _this_ happens but…it's Friday so the janitor will have the weekend to clean up."

"The paint's water based," he asked, slipping his hands into the pockets of his slacks, his face impassive as he kept his eyes on Alyx and Andrey –they both had their little chins tucked into their chests, their eyes occasionally flicking up to look at him as Mrs. Birden nodded, "Anything that can't be cleaned, let me know. I'll replace it."

"Thank you."

"Alyx, Andrey –get your backpacks," Rick watched as the boys stood up, pushing their chairs in before picking up their matching Spiderman backpacks from the floor beside the table, blue eyes wide as they looked up at him, bottom lips poking out in a pout, "Don't give me that look, it doesn't work with me. Now apologize to your teacher and meet me at the door."

Turning in unison, they looked up at the gray haired teacher, their eyes big and bright, those matching dimples appearing as they simultaneously spoke, "Sorry Mrs. Birden."

She couldn't hold back the smile, her heart melting at the adorable looks on their faces, "It's alright boys. Just…no more playing catch with paint, okay?"

"Okay," they nodded before turning to run to the door, giggling as they pushed each other while waiting for their father.

Rick let out a soft sigh as he gave Mrs. Birden a grin, "May I suggest a more structured free time for these two?"

"Oh, believe me," Mrs. Birden finally let herself smile, knowing the twins couldn't see her from where they were; "I'm already working on it."

* * *

_Thursday, September 5__th_

"_You have to tell him, Julie."_

"I know, mom," Julie picked at the seam of the leather couch, her feet tucked under her, "I just –"

"_No_," Jiao interrupted her, the sternness of her voice making her feel like a child, "_This isn't just about you anymore, Julie. You have a baby to think of."_

"I'm scared, mom."

"_You either believe he loves you or you don't. There's nothing more to it than that."_

Lowering her eyes to the ground, she reached up to wipe the tears rolling down her cheeks with her free hand as her mother continued, "_You don't have any more time, Julie."_

Sniffing, she nodded even though her mother couldn't see her, "You're right…there's a half moon next week –I'll tell him then."

"_You have to trust him, baby," _Jiao's voice softened as she gave her one last warning, _"If you don't, you'll lose it all…you both will."_


	42. Chapter 40

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I ask for...patience. And understanding...but above all, trust.  
**

**Kids appearing in this chapter: Marilynn and Skye Lahote, 2yrs old/ Emmie 7yrs old (4th grade). As usual, the age beside the chapter belongs to Gabriel.  
**

**Chapter Forty (10 yrs old)  
**_Monday, September 9__th__  
4:52PM_

"Skye! Get back here!"

Paul ran down the hall, scooping up his two year old up into his arms, her laughter making him smile as he shook his head, turning to go back to the room she shared with her sister Marilynn, "You can't run around naked, girl. So let's get some clothes on you, yeah?"

"No," Skye shook her head, dark eyes twinkling as she tried to wiggle out of his grasp but he had too good a grip on her.

"I know naked Monday sounds fun but you're still potty training. I don't think those two things add up to a good outcome," Paul set her on her bed, holding on to her ankle as she tried to get away from him, "Now, we're going to put these pull-ups on and keep them on, k?"

Marilynn laughed as she watched from the corner where she was playing with her puzzles, thinking it funny as her father wrestled with Skye.

He managed to get her into a pair of pull-ups and a little white and purple t-shirt dress identical to Marilynn's, finally giving up on the rainbow stripped leggings as a knock sounded at the door, "Okay, fine, I'm done. Keep your clothes on, Skye or mama is not gonna be happy."

She wrinkled her nose as she turned stomach down to wriggle off the bed, reaching up to swipe her dark hair off her face as Paul stood up. For those two girls, mama was the one that made the rules, Daddy the one they ran too for games, hugs and giggles…in other words, that big man was wrapped around their tiny fingers and they knew it.

Heading out of the room, he pointed a finger at his youngest, her mischievous smile letting him know she was still contemplating going commando, "Keep your pull-ups on, Skye –I mean it. Come in!"

The front door opened, Sam walking in and closing it behind him as he grinned at the sight of his goddaughter standing behind Paul –she was holding her dress up and pointing at her Minnie Mouse pull-ups with a big smile, "Nice pull-ups, Skye."

Paul rolled his eyes before looking over his shoulder, rubbing the back of his neck as he admonished his daughter, "Put your dress down."

Laughing, she dropped the hem of her cotton dress, toddling down the hall towards the room where her sister still was.

Letting out a sigh, Paul motioned for Sam to join him in the kitchen, "What's up, man?"

"That is one wild child right there," Sam pulled out a chair as he gestured towards the hallway, Paul shaking his head as he pulled out a couple of beer bottles from the fridge, "No, no –not my girls. Those two are good girls and they're going to join a convent when they turn eighteen."

Sam laughed, taking the bottle Paul offered as he arched an eyebrow, "By choice, I hope."

"Of course by choice," Paul frowned at him as he pulled out the chair across the table, easily popping the bottle open as he looked towards the clock –Rachel was going to be home from the hospital in another hour, "So what's up?"

Taking a swig of the cold yeasty beer, he slouched a little in his chair, "We need to re-evaluate the boundaries and patrols."

Paul's eyebrows lowered as he took a swallow from his bottle, "Why?"

"Jared's officially done," setting the bottle on the table, Sam kept his eyes on Paul, "His temperature is down to 98.7…Dylan called last week. He's done with basic training and got accepted into the Rangers. Brandon informed me that in another year, he'll stop as well."

Paul nodded, thinking over what Sam had said before tilting his head to the side, "Dylan joined the Rangers?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded as he lifted the bottle to his lips, "Sniper training. He's still phasing but he won't be coming back any time soon."

"That leaves us with what?"

"You, Seth, Doug, Brady, Brandon, Quil and myself," Sam tilted the bottle, the kitchen light penetrating through the dark glass, "Not counting Rick and Embry. Or Collin, being he spends ninety percent of the year in Seattle."

Paul nodded, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table, "Rachel and I have been talking…the baby's due in January. I'm gonna stop phasing after that."

Sam nodded, dropping his eyes to the table as he shifted in his seat, "It's not a problem…we haven't had any activity since that thing with Rose…so it's not a surprise, really."

"What about you?"

Sam shook his head, "I can't stop –not until there's a new Alpha to take over…or no more pack. Doug and Brady won't stop phasing while Nika and Bailey are still kids. Quil's getting there what with Claire heading off to college next year and we both know he'll follow her wherever she decides to go."

Paul nodded, taking a pull of his beer before setting it down as he leaned back into the chair, "There're a lot of options in the new Alpha department."

"Yeah," Sam nodded, finishing the last of his beer before setting the bottle aside, "It's just a question of who goes first."

"Quite frankly," Paul lifted his shoulder in slight apology, "I think Gabe will."

"Why?"

He was able to hear the slight defensive sound to Sam's questions, "Don't get your balls in a twist. It's just…Gabe's psyche and physiology…it's already used to the changes that take place with phasing…he'll have to get used to being able to think as himself but quite frankly…I think he's like dynamite set in place. A lit match is all that's needed –and we both know who that is."

Sam bit the inside of his cheek as he thought over Paul's words, finally nodding as he looked up at his best friend, "Marc."

"Yeah," Paul tipped the bottle back, drinking the last of his beer before standing up, taking Sam's empty bottle and tossing them into the trash can, "I like the kid –we all do –but there's no denying he's dangerous. As long as he's around, there's always going to be that edge of expectation whether the kids recognize it or not."

"Specifically speaking the ones he's closest too," Sam ran both hands through his hair, letting out a heavy breath, "Gabe, Brad and Bailey."

"Yeah," Paul leaned against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest, "There's no doubt those three will be the beginning of a new pack. The wheels have been set in motion –there's no way of stopping it."

Sam let out another heavy breath before pushing his chair back to stand up, "A lot to think about…I'm pulling in the boundaries…La Push, that's it. Being we literally have the catalyst in our home turf there's no point stretching ourselves thin."

Paul nodded, straightening up to accompany Sam to the front door, "I can do midnight runs but that's pretty much it."

"Got it," Sam nodded, looking around the living room, Paul clapping a hand on his shoulder, "What are you looking for?"

"My keys."

Paul's eyes slid close as he dropped his head back, "Where did you leave them?"

"The coffee table."

"Are you serious," he gave his best friend a look of incredulity, "You had two year olds, for fuck's sake! Skye!"

The little brunette trotted down the hall, stopping several feet from her dad, the hem of her dress in one small fist as she sucked on the cotton fabric, the fingers of her other hand poking at her belly button.

"Did you get Uncle Sam's keys?"

Skye giggled, running down the hall, Sam and Paul following behind her.

Stopping outside the bathroom, she pointed her little finger, giving them a big grin as they moved into the room, keys nowhere in sight.

Toddling in, she pointed at their pink and purple potty, the lid open and the obvious evidence of her ability to urinate on her own in the bowl…along with Sam's keys.

"That's gross," Paul stared at the bowl, Sam elbowing him on the side, "Get them."

Paul glanced up at him in surprise, "Why me? They're your keys."

"Your daughter put them in there."

"And you're the dumbass that left them on the coffee table."

Skye giggled as she watched them elbowing each other, dropping her dress as she looked into the bowl, shifting from side to side as Sam and Paul went back to staring at the keys in the bottom of the pee bowl.

Mama was gonna be so proud.

* * *

_Thursday, September 12__th__  
8:02PM_

_July…July…July…_

The view outside the living room window was dark, the sable blue sky sporting a half moon brightly phosphorescent, a few stars sprinkled across the velvet behind the outline of forest trees.

Crossing her arms as she leaned her head against the cold glass, she closed her eyes, working hard to concentrate on the music behind her and not the steady beat coming from outside.

Lian's fingers moved over the neck of his guitar, softly singing under his breath as he strummed note to note, stopping a few seconds before starting over again –it was now his way of recalling the songs that evolved in his head.

Were he not so focused or were he able to see, he'd have caught the determination with which Julie pushed away from the window, "Let's go swimming."

Lian stopped singing, the soft vibrations of the guitar strings fading, "What?"

"I want to go swimming," Julie took the guitar from him, setting it on its stand, "Let's go."

"Julie," his eyebrows lowered as she pulled him up by the hand, leading him down the hall to their bedroom, "Its dark outside. I don't think swimming at night is a good idea."

"The moon's bright," Julie let go of his hand, the sound of dresser drawers opening and closing, "And I really want to swim. Please?"

His mouth hitched into a smile as he took the swim trunks she thrust into his hands, "Fine but remember I can't see."

"Of course," she pressed a kiss against his cheek, "I won't let you out of my sight."

He laughed, changing out of his pajama bottoms as he listened to the sound of her changing. God, what he would give to see her in that royal blue bikini of hers. The last time she'd worn it had been in Arizona during their video shoot.

"Ready?"

At his nod, she took his hand, a beach bag over her shoulder, "I've got the towels."

The drive to La Push was quiet, the radio low as Lian listened to the sound of the car eating up the miles.

Closing his eyes, he wondered what was going through her head –why the sudden desire to swim? Rubbing his thumb against the leather of the car door's armrest, he let his mind wander, skipping from one topic to another but always coming back to the one that always made him smile.

He was going to be a father.

It terrified him yet awed him –he wasn't yet sure how it was going to work what with him being blind. If this turned out to be permanent, he would never see his child's face, would never get to admire their first smile.

"We're here."

He snapped out of his melancholic mood, opening the door and stepping out. Standing beside the car once he closed the door, he gripped Julie's hand once it slipped into his, letting her lead him across the pebbled beach.

It wasn't until the cold water lapped at his ankles that she stopped, her hand warm against his chest, "Wait here, okay?"

He nodded, keeping his arms at his sides as he listened to the crashing waves, seconds ticking by before a loud splash startled him, "What was that? Julie?"

The silence was heavy, the crashing waves echoing the hard thump of his heart as he took a step forward, "Julie?"

Calling out her name, he didn't realize how far he'd gone into the ocean until a wave crashed against him, the sand shifting under his feet, losing his balance and going under.

Breaking through the surface, he kept himself afloat as he yelled out, "Julie!"

Another wave crashed over him, the heavy undercurrent grabbing at his legs and pulling him further down. Kicking hard, he tried to swim to the surface but the ocean kept tossing him around, his lungs burning with need for oxygen.

Just as the edges of his consciousness began to dim, a pair of strong arms wrapped around his chest, easily pulling him up to the surface.

Gasping for air, he tried to speak but his throat closed up, the feel of her lips brushing his ear having him relax, "I've got you Julian. It's okay."

Panting, he pushed his wet hair out of his face, "Where did you go?"

He gripped her wrist, her skin feeling slightly odd, picking up on how different she sounded as she finally spoke up, "I…had to get some air."

His eyebrows lowered at that, his body jerking slightly as something slick bumped against the back of his legs, "Julie…what –what's going on?"

The silence was heavy before he felt her breath against the back of his neck, "I…I have something to tell you."

The sound of her voice –still with that smooth whiskey feel –was much more musical, more beaconing –a siren's call if he should be so fanciful, "And you had to do it here?"

"Yes," that one word was soft; a mere sigh filled with such longing it brought tears to his eyes.

Blinking quickly, he felt the solid bump again as the ocean waves bobbed them about, Julie keeping them afloat the waves –he wasn't quite sure how, "Okay. What is it?"

He could feel her heart beating hard against his shoulder blades, one arm secure around his torso as she took his hand in the other one.

His muscles tensed as she placed his hand against her thigh –well, he thought it was her thigh but he wasn't sure what with the uniformed ridges that felt oddly like...fish scales, "Julie…"

"You have to believe," she whispered, every word felt deep in his soul, "Please…don't push me away."

"You're…you're really a mermaid," his voice gave nothing away as he spread his fingers against the hard muscle, feeling it ripple as she moved.

"Yes."

There was something in the way she said it that had him shaking his head, the shock of this revelation still reverberating.

He felt her arm slipping from around him, his heart lurching hard as he made a grab for her arm, "No! Don't leave me…please.''

Even though they were in water, he felt her tears as they rolled down his shoulder, smooth as pearls, "You can't –you can't leave me. I love you –no matter what, right? It goes both ways July. You can't –you can't choose the ocean over me –you just can't."

"Julian –"

"I know I'll make you cry," Lian couldn't make himself stop, his pride at the bottom of the ocean as he kept begging; "I know I'll hurt you…but I'll love you –every day, I'll love you more than anyone ever can."

She kept her arms around him, his kicking feet finally gaining purchase on the sandy beach.

Falling to his knees, she came down with him, arms wrapped tight around each other, her long wet hair clinging to his arms and shoulders like seaweed.

Julie could feel her insides growing warmer, her heart beating frantically as she gave in to his demanding mouth, her arms moving up his back to bury her fingers into his wet hair.

"I love you, July," his whisper was ragged, causing goosebumps to erupt all over her wet body as he slid his hands down her torso, his fingers tripping over the occasional scale dotting her stomach, "You make me into a better man."

"Julian, please –"

"No," he shook his head, his heart beating hard, drowning the crashing waves as he placed his forehead against hers, "I won't let you go –you can't leave me…you promised –dammit July!"

Pressing her fingers against his lips, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her cheek against his to whisper into his ear, "I'm going nowhere. You're my anchor, Julian…you're my soul –but…I need to know…I need to know this doesn't matter to you."

Lian's eyes stared into hers even though he couldn't see, "Of course it matters –its' part of who you are. I love all of you not just the parts that make sense."

A sob escaped her as she buried her face into his neck, her slim body shaking in his arms.

Moving his hands down her body, he could feel the hardness of her skin slowly softening, her body warming up. Stroking his fingers down her hip, he marveled at the change as the slick scales melted away, leaving behind soft skin of silk, "This is amazing…you're amazing, July…and you're mine."

She nodded, sniffing back a sob as she moved her hands down his back, muscles tight under her fingertips, "Love me, Julian."

"Always."

* * *

_Thursday, September 19__th__  
4:16PM_

Clicking on the mouse, he made adjustments to his digital design, his eyes on the screen as the sound of scribbling filled the quiet kitchen.

"Mou."

Looking up from what he'd been working on, he gave Emmie a smile, "Yes Princess."

"How do you find the surface area of a circle?"

Embry chuckled as he turned away from his laptop -they were in his recently finished kitchen, working on their homework: her for fourth grade and him for his master's thesis -they did this once a week whenever he picked her up from school. He took the opened math book she was looking at, picking up one of the few pencils on the desk as he pulled her notebook within reach to write across the top, "The formula to find the surface area for a circle is pie multiplied by radius to the second power. If they give you a diameter then you multiply it by pie. Does it make sense?"

Emmie nibbled on her bottom lip as she squinted at the textbook page then at the formula he'd written at the top of the lined page, "What's a second power?"

"Numerical powers are basically multiplication. See, if the radius is seven to the power of two, then that means you multiply seven against itself."

"So…" Emmie moved to kneel on the chair she was sitting on, squinting at the numbers before looking up at him, "Seven to the power of two is forty-nine?"

Embry grinned at her as he set his pencil down, "Exactly. What do you get with five to the fifth power?"

Tilting her head, she quietly stared at him for a full two minutes before giving him a big smile, "Three thousand one-hundred and twenty-five."

"Very good," Embry chuckled as he reached out to give her chin a gentle cuff, "Now stop doing my homework and do yours."

Emmie giggled, rocking forward on her elbows as she squinted down at his math textbook, "I already finished my homework."

Embry cocked an eyebrow, looking at her for several seconds before tilting his head to the side, "Where are your glasses?"

Emmie pursed her lips, rocking back as she rubbed her finger against the surface of the beach wood table, "In my backpack."

"Why aren't you wearing them? You know without them, you're straining your eyesight when you read."

She wrinkled her nose at him, dark hair framing her face, blue eyes big and fringed with inky black lashes, "They make me look ugly –Timmy at school called me four eyes."

Embry let out a soft sigh, smiling at her as he leaned forward to rest his forearms on the kitchen table, "Am I an honest person, Emerie?"

She nodded, knowing the conversation they were having was serious due to his use of her given name, "You always tell me the truth."

His smile was tender as he took her backpack from across the table, opening the side pocket and pulling out the ladybug printed case where her glasses were kept, "Put them on and I'll tell you if they make you look ugly or not."

Nibbling on her bottom lip, she turned the case around in her small hands, letting out a heavy breath before snapping it open and pulling out the black rimmed glasses and slipping them on.

Embry had to swallow back a laugh as she kept her face down, "I can't give you my opinion if you don't look at me."

Looking up at him, she gave him a shy smile as he studied her face, finding her adorably cute with those round black rimmed glasses perched upon her tipped nose, "I think you look smart…smart and beautiful."

"Really?"

He grinned, reaching out to cup the side of her small face in his large hand, his thumb stroking over her cheekbone, "Really. Now do me a favor and look your homework over. You might have missed something without your glasses."

"Okay," she nodded, the ribbon that held the top half of her hair back fluttering down her small back, "Mou."

"Yes Princess."

She pointed at the glossy page of his math textbook, "The answer is two hundred and eighty three point fifty-three centimeters to the second power."

Embry laughed, always finding it amazing how adept she was when it came to math and science –his Princess was a little genius and he wouldn't have her any other way.

* * *

_Last Week of September_

Julie let out a yawn, stretching her arms over her head as she opened her eyes, turning her head to the side to find Lian's side of the bed empty.

Letting out another sigh, she looked over at the clock on her bedside table, her brow wrinkling as she tossed the comforter aside, taking her robe from the foot of the bed and slipping it on as she walked out of the bedroom and down the hall.

Stopping at the end of the hallway, she leaned against the wall to watch Lian –he was sitting in the middle of the living room in one of the kitchen chairs, his guitar propped on his thigh as he strummed his thumb down the steel strings.

He wasn't playing anything specifically, simply going from note to note which let her know he was mulling something over in his head.

"You okay, baby," her voice was soft as she pushed away from the wall, moving across the opened floor to wrap her arms around his shoulders, placing her chin on his head, "You seem rather pensive."

"Just thinking," Lian dragged his thumb down the strings before setting the guitar on its stand, having moved it before him, "That day –at your apartment…with Adam…I just remembered having seen rainbows…was that your tail?"

Julie smiled, moving around to sit on his lap, running her fingers through his hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Yes…I couldn't think of any other way to get out of the situation."

"You could have died, Julie," Lian dropped his head to rest his forehead on her shoulder, squeezing her waist as he recalled her telling him about the physiology concerning mermaids.

"But I didn't," she tilted his head back, pressing a soft kiss against his jaw as she stroked her hand along the side of his face, "You saved me just in time."

They held each other, the silence comfortable before Lian started chuckling, Julie looking at him with a curious smile, "What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking," he grinned as he slid his nose along her jaw, her long hair in a braid down her shoulder, "The tabloid headlines: Dead mermaid found in July Star's apartment –What the fuck?"

They both laughed at that, Julie pushing his hair off his forehead as he slid his hand down her leg, his fingertips rough against her soft skin, his voice husky as he took in a deep breath of her fresh scent, "I wish I could see it…you must look so beautiful."

"You will," she promised, her voice certain as she kissed his eyes, "Someday, you'll see."

He smiled, feeling the assurance she was offering him, "Is our baby going to be like you?"

"If it's a girl," Julie moved her nose down the bridge of his, gently nibbling on his top lip before she covered his mouth with hers, their tongues stroking in a slow, sweet kiss that kept the stoked fires of their desire burning.

Gently pulling apart, he let out a soft breath as he spread his fingers over her lower stomach, the tiny bump hard under his hand, "Our little tadpole."

Julie chuckled softly, placing her hand over his as she rested her forehead against his, their breath mingling, "I'm going to start dinner –want anything in particular?"

Keeping his hand on her small baby bump, he moved his mouth over her jaw to whisper into her ear, "You."

Julie laughed, wiggling out of his arms to get on her feet, "No, no. You can't have dessert before dinner –but if you eat all your vegetables, I'll let you have double dessert."

Lian laughed, reaching up to rub his forehead as Julie made her way to the kitchen, "You're going to be an awesome mom."

It hurt her that he couldn't see as she looked across the space separating them, her purple eyes bright with love and a gentleness that would have made him choke up, "And you're going to be a wonderful daddy…especially if it is a little girl."

* * *

He blinked, stifling a groan at the throbbing pain at the back of his head. Running his hand through his hair, he grabbed his pajama bottoms and pulled them on, planning on heading to the bathroom to find some aspirin for his headache.

Julie jerked awake at the sound of breaking glass followed by a crash, a repetitive dull thump having her look around the dark room to find it empty.

Getting out of bed, she picked up the t-shirt on the floor, slipping it on as she moved towards the bathroom, only to stop in shock at the sight of Lian on the floor, seizures racking his body.

"Oh God," Julie fell to her knees, her hands moving over his face before she checked his pulse, the fast thrumming under her fingers pushing her heart into her throat, "Julian, baby –oh God!"

Seeing her cell phone, which he'd knocked off the dresser along with everything else that had been on it, she grabbed it, fumbling with the keypad until she finally got the number right.

"_Nine one one, what's your emergency?"_

"My fiancée," Julie swallowed back a sob, placing the phone on speaker and setting it on the bed before turning Lian on his side, her first aid training kicking into gear, "My fiancée is having a seizure –please send an ambulance."

The dispatcher stayed with her on the phone as Julie gave her information, several seconds passing before she heard the faint sounds of the ambulance. She knew the door was locked and the EMTs were going to need access but she refused to leave Lian's side, simply telling the dispatcher to break the door down.

Rubbing soothing circles against his back, she ran her fingers through his hair, whispering into his ear, his erratic breathing bringing tears to her eyes, "It's okay, baby –help's coming. I'm right here, Julian…I won't leave, baby. Please –please don't…"

As the sound of the crashing door filled the small three bedroom house, the large lump in Julie's throat wouldn't let her continue to speak, tears flowing down her face as she sobbed into Lian's neck, a sharp twist in her chest causing her to gasp at the searing pain before it disappeared, leaving nothing behind.

It was almost like something in her…broke.


	43. Chapter 41

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Sorry it took a whole week! Ages of appearing children are as follows: Nika (11yrs old/6th grade), Vivi (10yrs old/6th grade), Ian (9yrs old/4th grade), Patrick (4yrs old) and Carlos (4months). And as always, the age next to the chapter belongs to Gabriel.  
**

**Shout-outs to all my awesome reviewers. I love you all! You know who you are.  
**

**Chapter Forty-One (10yrs old)**

"How is she?"

Rose looked up at Seth, a hand on Julie's shoulder in a show of support, "She won't talk. She hasn't looked away from that spot on the floor –I'm pretty sure she hasn't even blinked."

Seth studied his friend, feeling empathy for her –had it not been for Charlie, she'd be sitting here alone.

"I called Lyn," he moved to sit at Julie's other side, a little concerned about the fact that she didn't move, "She still has eight more hours to go at the hospital but said she'll call her mom –she should be here in an hour or so."

They sat there in silence, the only noise coming from outside the waiting room. Looking down at his phone, he turned it in his hands, wondering what he should say or if there was anything to say at all.

Glancing at Julie, he studied the blank look on her face, watching as she kept her eyes on the floor, not moving at all –it creeped him out a bit being the only ones he knew to stay that still for a long period of time were vampires.

"Julie," his voice was low so he wouldn't startle her but it made no difference –she didn't even twinge, "Hey Jules. It's going to be alright. He'll be okay. You'll see."

She didn't respond, didn't react in any way, her hands hanging between her thighs, her shoulders slumped.

One of the nurses had given her a pair of scrub bottoms along with hospital socks to wear –apparently, she had ridden in the ambulance with Lian wearing a t-shirt and panties, nothing else.

Slouching in his chair, he decided not to say anything else, hoping that she felt some comfort in their presence. Another half hour passed before a doctor walked in, Seth standing up as he asked, "Are you Lian Young's family?"

Seth answered once he realized Julie wasn't going to say anything, "I'm his cousin."

"I'm Dr. Shen," they shook hands, the doctor keeping eye contact as he explained; "We've stopped the seizures using lorazepam. The CT scan and MRI results show a tumor in the occipital lobe, putting pressure on the visual cortex. Was Mr. Young in an accident recently?"

Once again, Seth looked to Julie but at her lack of response, he turned back to the doctor, "He was in a car accident some months ago –it left him blind."

"I believe the tumor is benign and result of the brain injury that caused his blindness," Dr. Shen slipped his hands into the pockets of his white coat, "It's operable and there shouldn't be any complications being its mostly on the surface between the skull and the brain."

"Okay," Seth nodded, sticking his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "That's good."

"Well," the doctor had a slightly sheepish look on his face, "We do have one small problem."

"And that is?"

"We don't have a neurosurgeon on staff. Washington Medical has one but he's in Florida on a consult."

Seth's jaw clenched as he looked over at Julie –she still hadn't moved at all. He wondered if she had even heard a single word the doctor had spoken –she was really starting to worry him.

"We've contacted Harborview Medical but apparently their neurosurgeon is currently on Sabbatical."

Seth nodded, his brain spinning fast until it finally settled on the obvious solution, "Do you have the equipment necessary for this kind of surgery?"

Dr. Shen arched an eyebrow, "Yes, we do."

"Reserve the surgery room; I'll get someone in three hours."

The doctor's surprise at Seth's words showed on his face but simply nodded, turning to walk out of the waiting room as Seth dialed into his phone.

Time seemed to drag on, Rose staying next to Julie as Seth paced the length of the waiting room, all the while talking on the phone.

The coldness inside her seeped slowly into the corners of her soul, pushing away the warmth of happy memories and dragging her under with the weight of utter despair.

This was why some mermaids chose the ocean over true love…it hurt too damn much. The only way she could keep from losing it was to let the numbing cold take over.

It had been over an hour, Seth no longer in the waiting room since he'd gone in search of Lian's doctor. Rose bit her lip as she blinked back tears. Something about the way she held herself –as if she were alone, just her in a sea of heartache –made this even more painful than if she had been in tears.

A sound at the door had Rose looking up, Jiao rushing across the room to take the seat she vacated, "Julie, baby."

After a minute or two of no response from her, Jiao looked up at Rose, her long blue-black hair pulled back in a ponytail at the base of her neck, "How long has she been like this?"

Rose looked at her watch, wincing at the discomfort of her breasts –she needed to go to Sue's to feed her baby soon, "Since we got here about two hours ago."

Jiao closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh before she turned her attention back to her daughter, "Julie, listen to me. Don't hide from this –you won't be able to find your way back."

Rose watched as Jiao stroke Julie's long hair, fingers occasionally getting caught in the tangles of her red brown curls, "Baby, I know this hurts…but it comes with the territory. You can't close yourself off to the pain if you want to experience the joy of love –they come hand in hand, baby."

Rose held her breath as Julie closed her eyes, a rainbow hued tear rolling down her cheek as she softly whispered, "How did you…when Daddy died, how did you survive?"

Jiao rested her forehead against Julie's shoulder, her arms wrapped around her daughter, "I had you. Your father made me so happy. He loved me for who I was…for what I was. Most importantly, he gave me the best of himself –in you."

"We weren't enough for him."

"That's not true," Jiao's almond shaped eyes glittered brightly, the hue of her irises a rich amethyst, "What your father did…it had nothing to do with us."

"_I don't know if I can do this, mama. I don't know if I can survive without him."_

Rose watched, mystified because she couldn't understand what was being said but she could see something that made her ache deep inside –Julie and her mother were very close.

"_If it comes to that, you'll have to learn. There's a part of him in you –you'll never be without him and this baby will need you so much."_

They looked up as Seth walked into the waiting room, followed by Dr. Shen and Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Edward Cullen following behind 'his father.'

"Miss Nelson," Dr. Shen stopped before Julie and her mother, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the tear tracks on both their faces, "Mr. Clearwater wanted me to inform you that Dr. Cullen will be performing the surgery. Now, I need to finish last minute details so if you will all excuse me. Dr. Cullen, we'll be in OR three."

"Thank you, Dr. Shen," Carlisle shook the doctor's hand before turning his attention back to Julie and Jiao, feeling the same amazement Edward was expressing as he stared at them.

"Stop trying to read my mind," Julie's voice was cold, her eyes dark as she looked up at Edward.

"I'm sorry," Edward stepped out from behind Carlisle, his hands clasped behind his back, "I'm just…I wasn't aware you existed."

"You exist," Julie's pupils nearly swallowed her irises, the only visibility of the purple color a thin ring around the black, "Why shouldn't we?"

"It seems myths are based on truth more so than lies," Carlisle's smooth voice cut into the tension in the room, an eyebrow lifting in surprise when Julie turned to look at Seth, "Why are they here?"

Seth reached to give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze but she moved back –she couldn't tolerate being touched by him or anyone else that wasn't her mother, "If anyone can do this without any mistakes, its Carlisle."

"The blood –"

"Edward's going to be outside the OR, monitoring Lian's thoughts. Carlisle's self control is enviable –nothing will happen to Lian."

"If it does –"

"It won't."

"If it does," she stood up, Jiao staying in her seat, her own eyes moving between Carlisle and Edward as Julie pointed at Seth, "I'm holding you responsible."

* * *

_Three Days Later_

The beeping finally got annoying enough for him to fight through the fog that filled his head, a heavy weight on his chest making it hard to breathe deeply.

Reaching up with his free hand –the other one seemed to be restrained against his body –he opened his eyes, quickly closing them against the bright light, the shock to his system causing him to groan under his breath.

The weight on his chest shifted and he got curious enough to open his eyes, this time bit by bit to get used to the lack of darkness.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he moved his hand up to her face, gently moving her hair away. She was sleeping, a small furrow between her eyebrows letting him know it wasn't a peaceful sleep –probably uncomfortable as well considering she was bend over sideways, precariously sitting on the edge of his bed.

Smoothing his thumb between her eyebrows, he watched as her long eyelashes –for the first time he realized they were a deep red –fluttering open, her pupils contracting as the purple hue of her eyes glittered like jewels, "Good morning beautiful."

"Julian…" her eyes welled up with tears as she carefully straightened up –he was pretty sure her back was hurting depending on how long she'd been draped over him like a blanket.

"This I could get used to," he kept his hand on her face, his thumb moving over her bottom lip, dark brown eyes intently studying the face he had missed seeing for the past four months, "Waking up every morning to your beautiful face for the rest of my life."

Julie couldn't stop crying, hiccups accentuating her sobs, the tender look he gave her having her cry harder.

"Hey," he pushed himself to a seating position, breathing through the dizziness before he pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back as she cried into his shoulder, "Shh, it's okay baby. Everything's okay."

She tried to talk but the tears kept coming, her body shuddering as she clung to him, the hospital gown he wore getting soaked as he kept trying to calm her down, "Come on, baby. You need to stop crying. This can't be good for our little tadpole."

A hiccuping giggle escaped her as she pulled back, wiping the back of her hand over her cheeks as she smiled at him, loving the way his brown eyes sparkled as he stared into hers, "You can see."

Lian's smile grew as he traced her jaw with his fingers, "I can see you."

Taking his hand in both of hers, she pressed a kiss in the center of his palm before pressing it against her cheek, "I'm so happy you're okay…that you didn't leave me."

"I promised I wouldn't, remember," he thumbed her bottom lip before moving his hand into her hair, gripping the back of her neck as she hung onto his forearm.

Pulling her into him, he covered her mouth with his, a low groan escaping him at the strong emotions crashing into him…exhilarating in their intensity, frightening in their strength yet fulfilling in their presence.

Julie melted into him, her entire being vibrating with life and love and joy. Wrapping her arms around his torso, she tilted her head to rest against his shoulder as the kiss slowly deepened, like melting chocolate getting sweeter and hotter with every second it spend over the fire.

How she wished she could bury herself deep into his heart, hide under his skin where nothing outside of his love could touch her.

"Well, if that ain't a sign of feeling better, I don't know what is."

They didn't break apart, didn't abort the kiss with surprise or embarrassment –instead, they let it slowly come to an end, their lips lightly clinging to each other before they parted, staring into her eyes for a few seconds longer before looking up at his visitors, "Didn't you know a mermaid's kiss makes it all better?"

Seth laughed, his hand squeezing the smaller one he held as he looked into his wife's hazel eyes, "The only thing that would work for me is the kiss of a certain Spanish _señorita._"

Rose rolled her eyes, the blush covering her cheeks letting him know she appreciated his words, "To each his own. It's good to see you're doing better, Lian."

"It's good to see, period," Lian kissed Julie's forehead, his arms wrapped around her, keeping her in the safe harbor of his embrace.

"Maybe now that you're awake, Julie will eat," Seth slipped his fingers into the pockets of his jeans, thinking how strangely perfect they looked together –it was almost like seeing one of his brothers with their imprint, like seeing himself with Rose. It was so obvious those two were meant to be together –it now made sense why fate had brought Julie into his life.

He watched Lian turn to Julie, concern showing in his eyes, "When was the last time you ate?"

Julie shrugged, having no desire to move from where she was even though she was finally feeling something other than the numbing cold in her soul, "I can't remember."

"When they brought you in three days ago," Seth answered when his cousin looked to him, shrugging at Julie's glare, "At least I'm assuming you two had dinner."

"Do me a favor and take her to get something to eat," Lian asked, Seth nodding as Julie began to argue, "Julian –"

He gently placed his fingertips against her lips, resting his forehead on hers as he whispered, "Please, baby. I need you to take care of yourself. For me…for us."

He moved his mouth to her ear, whispering softly as he brought a hand down to rest against her lower stomach.

She finally nodded, giving him a squeeze before pulling back, pressing a smiling kiss against his lips, "I'll ask the doctor if I can bring you a milkshake."

"That sounds good."

He watched her move away, his brown eyes moving over her to see if there were any differences but she was still as slender as he remembered.

Julie didn't want to leave him but he had been right –three days of no food wasn't good for their baby. She smiled at Rose, a pleading look she wasn't aware of in her eyes, "Can you stay with him? I won't take long."

"Sure."

Seth kissed the back of Rose's hand before letting it go, holding the door open for Julie before following behind her.

The silence was comfortable as Lian gave Rose a smile well known to make a girl's heart flutter, "Didn't you just have a baby?"

Rose laughed, moving to sit in a chair beside the bed, the dark blue tank top she wore under a brown suede jacket showing off a trim waist, "It's amazing what four months of breastfeeding can do. When is yours due?"

Lian's eyebrows arched in surprise, "Did Julie tell you?"

"No," Rose's smile was tender as she pointed at his hand, "Seth would do that before I started showing. Rick does the same thing with Leah –that's how we know she's pregnant."

Lian chuckled, pushing the button to raise the head of the bed, leaning back into the pillows with a sigh, "How many does she have now?"

"Six," Rose crossed her legs, resting her elbow on the chair's arm rest, "But from the way I've seen Rick around her, I'm thinking there will be a new Laskaris baby next year."

"Is she not showing," Lian reached up to rub his forehead, fingers encountering the bandage wrapped around his head, finally wondering what the hell had happened to land him in the hospital again.

"Although I've heard a woman shows sooner after her first pregnancy, Leah seems to be the exception to that. She's back to a size four a month after giving birth –every time. It took me three months to be able to fit into my jeans again."

Lian chuckled at the disgust in her voice, "You sound jealous."

"No, I just think it unfair. I bet Julie will be the same way."

Lian gave a groaning laugh, wincing as the blood pressure cuff on his right arm started to inflate, "Why am I here?"

"That seems to be our cue."

He watched as two doctors walked in, relieved he was finally going to get some answers. It took a good half hour for them to explain, the pain he was feeling worsening in intensity as time passed.

Rose sat quietly as the doctors took turns talking, Lian nodding in understanding, feeling the relief of knowing the tumor had been completely removed and not cancerous but a result to his previous head injury.

"Do you have any questions?"

Lian lifted his arm, "Can I get this removed?"

"I'll send in a nurse to remove the pressure cuff," Dr. Shen took the chart offered by Dr. Cullen, taking a pen from his breast pocket to add in his own notes, "We'd like to have you under observation for another forty eight hours before releasing you. Would you like some pain medication for that headache?"

"Not right now."

"Mr. Young," Dr. Cullen arched an eyebrow, Lian wondering randomly why the guy wasn't making tons of money as an actor with his looks, "The pain is going to get worse."

"I know," Lian let out a sigh as he closed his eyes, wondering how long it will take to feel like himself again, "But it'll knock me out and I want to be awake when Julie returns. Once she gets here, I'll take it."

* * *

_October 10__th_

"So what did you do?"

Nika lifted a shoulder, flipping through the magazine on her lap single handedly as Vivi held her other hand, carefully applying the neon pink polish over her neatly shaped nails, "Told him the truth. Daddy won't let me date until I'm sixteen."

It was Nika's eleventh birthday and since she hadn't wanted a party this year, she had invited Vivi over for dinner and a sleepover. They were in Nika's bedroom, sitting cross-legged on her bed as they faced each other, both girls barefoot with all the necessary items needed to do their nails between them.

"I just think it's so cool you got asked out," Vivi moved from Nika's index finger to her thumb, capping the polish before picking up a small pot with silver glitter, lightly sprinkling it over the wet nails, the towels under them catching the leftover glitter, "Davey really likes you."

"But I don't like him."

"I know, I know," Vivi twisted the cap back on the glitter, tossing it into her box of stuff necessary for girl time, pulling out a bottle of clear polish to seal in the glitter, "You're in love with Bradley."

"I'm not in love with Bradley," Nika's cheeks flushed, tendrils of dark hair escaping her high ponytail and framing her oval shaped face, "I just think he's cute."

They both giggled, Vivi finishing Nika's nails and closing the bottle, her own similarly done but with neon purple instead of pink, "He kind of looks like his dad."

"Uncle Sam's not bad looking for an old guy," she said, tongue in cheek, both of them laughing as Vivi looked through her box to pull out the toe separators, the song playing softly on the radio changing to Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun.'

"I love this song," Nika exclaimed, scrambling off the bed and moving across the bedroom floor, turning up the volume before grabbing a brush to use as a microphone. Vivi laughed, grabbing one of her flower printed nail files and jumping off the bed to join her best friend as they sung at the top of their lungs.

_I come home in the morning light  
My mother says when you gonna live your life right  
Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones  
And girls they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have fun_

Jared turned the knob, quietly opening the door and leaning against the frame to watch the girls as they danced around, their high ponytail bouncing and swinging as they kept on with their own little show.

_The phone rings in the middle of the night  
My father yells what you gonna do with your life  
Oh daddy dear you know you're still number one  
But girls just want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have_

_That's all they really want  
Some fun  
When the working day is done  
Girls–they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have fun_

Vivi sang the backup lyrics, jumping in place as Nika danced, turning from one foot to the other, her legs long and graceful in the pair of Capri leggings she wore with one of her Daddy's plain shirts she had tie-dyed, the hem tied in a knot around her slim hips.

_Some boys take a beautiful girl  
And hide her away from the rest of the world  
I want to be the one to walk in the sun  
Oh girls they want to have fun  
Oh girls just want to have_

Nika executed a perfect pirouette, a passing glimpse of her father's grinning face having her stop, her face flushing as she turned down the radio's volume; Vivi's blush was even more visible due to her alabaster skin.

"Daddy," Nika bit her lip, hiding the brush behind her back, "How long have you been watching?"

"Long enough to know you two make quite the duo," Jared chuckled as Vivi ducked her face, setting the nail file on Nika's vanity as he stepped into the bedroom, "Your mama send me to get you two. Dinner's ready."

"Oh, okay," Nika set her brush on the vanity, turning the radio off as she looked over at Vivi, "We'll do our toes after dinner."

Vivi nodded, giggling as Jared jerked his thumb over his shoulder, "Okay, Nickel-bee, hop on."

"Daddy," Nika gave him that look she'd adopted from her mother ever since she started wearing training bras, "I'm too old for piggy back rides."

"I don't think so," Jared did that finger wagging thing, Nika and Vivi laughing as he stood at the foot of the bed, "It is beneath you to walk to the kitchen on your birthday, so hop on."

Giggling, Nika climbed on her bed to jump onto her father's back, her arms wrapped around his neck as he wrapped his arms over her knees, looking at a smiling Vivi with a grin, "Now, Vivi, if you will please do the honors of announcing the birthday princess."

She laughed, having never done this but knowing it was a tradition on birthdays in the Hatch household. Running with a skip to lead Jared down the hall towards the kitchen, she announced in a loud regal tone, "Make way, make way! Here comes the birthday princess!"

Kim, Ian and Patrick stood around the kitchen table, clapping and cheering as Nika threw her arms up over her head, secure in her father's hold, "Thank you, thank you! I declare today…a holiday!"

They all cheered, Nika laughing as her father swung her around to sit her down at the head of the table, which was usually his seat.

Kim leaned down to kiss her daughter's cheek, Ian handing the birthday crown to his mother as Patrick held up the wooden spoon they used as a scepter in his chubby hands. Placing the crown on her head and handing her the scepter, they all sat down as soon as Nika gave them a regal nod.

"Birthday Princess," Jared sat very straight, his hands folded on the table as he asked, "What shall we do first? Dinner or gifts?"

Nika tapped the wooden spoon against her chin before giving them a big grin, "Let's open gifts!"

Vivi enjoyed herself as Patrick and Ian took turns bringing Nika's gifts, her best friend exuberantly ripping them open, exclaiming over everything, even the Popsicle stick picture frame four year old Patrick had glued together and decorated with seashells, a picture of their family at the beach with a beautiful sunset as the backdrop in place -Vivi was able to tell right away the picture was taking by her aunt.

Vivi was glad to see the way Nika's face lit up at gift she had gotten her, opening a metal box similar to hers. There were several dozen bottles of nail polish of all shades and colors, small pots of glitter, detail nail pens, nail stickers and tiny colorful stick-on jewels, "Vivi, this is awesome! I love it!"

Vivi grinned, pointing at the metal box, "There's a tray underneath the bottles –it has nail files, toe separators, nail clippers and cuticle sticks. There's also hand lotion, polish remover and other stuff necessary for girl time."

"So cool!"

Ian made a gagging sound, stopping when his dad turned to look at him, "Sorry. It's just…that's really girly."

"Well, it's a good thing it's not for you then," Jared teased his son before handing a small teal box with a white silk ribbon tied into a bow on top, "This one's from mom and me."

Nika's smile was beautiful as she slid the ribbon off the box, popping the lid open, a gasp escaping her as she carefully pulled out a thin silver necklace with a heart shaped locket hanging from it.

"Oh," Nika watched the locket spin around, her dark brown eyes bright as she looked up at her parents, "It's beautiful! Thank you!"

Placing it back in the Tiffany & Co. engraved box, she got out of her chair to hug her parents, kissing their cheeks before returning to her seat.

"Can we eat now," Ian flipped his fork as he looked over at his sister, "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry."

Ian rolled his dark brown eyes, "I'm nine years old."

Vivi and Nika laughed –that was always his answer to everything.

Jared took the gifts and set them aside on the kitchen counter as Kim brought out the pan from the oven, all of their eyes growing big as she announced, "Mexican lasagna for dinner."

"Yay!"

* * *

_10:48PM_

They were lying on the living room floor, a blanket spread out under them as they shared one pillow, their bodies pointing opposite ways as the movie continued on.

Since it was her birthday –and a Friday –mama and Daddy had let them stay up late but they had to be quiet so the boys wouldn't wake up.

"What's it like?"

Nika's eyes moved from the screen to Vivi's face, finding her friend's eyes on the ceiling instead of watching the movie, "What's what like?"

"Getting asked out," Vivi turned her head to look at Nika, her long gold-red hair in a braid over her shoulder.

"It's okay, I guess," Nika shrugged, moving to her side to prop herself up on her elbow, resting her head on her fist, "It would probably be nicer if I liked him."

Vivi nodded, her eyes going back to studying the ceiling, "I wonder when Gabe will ask me out on a date."

"He probably won't," Nika quickly explained herself when she caught the hurt look on her best friend's face, "What I mean is he'll probably just tell you that you're going on a date instead of ask."

Vivi chuckled, thinking back on her aunt's wedding when he had told her she was going to marry him, "He is kind of bossy, isn't he?"

"Kind of," Nika flopped back, her hair spreading over the pillow, "Just like fire is kind of hot."

They muffled their laughter in their hands, their eyes dancing as a soft knock sounded at the front door.

Looking at the time on the DVD player, she scrambled up on her feet to go open the front door, smiling brightly at the familiar person standing in her porch, "Doug! You made it."

Doug laughed softly, waving over Nika's head at Jared's shadow in the hallway before looking down at her, "Just barely. My last class ended at eight and it's a two hour drive."

Nika grinned as she placed one bare foot over the other, her pink glittery toes matching her fingers, "You should have ran –it wouldn't have taken as long."

"But then I would have been all sweaty and smelly."

"Eww."

Doug laughed, handing her a small box tied with twine, "Exactly. This is for you."

Nika took the box, her brown eyes dancing as she undid the string, hoping it was a replacement for the threaded bracelet he had given her on her first birthday –it was too small and she now had to use it to hold her diary and jewelry box keys.

Opening the lid, her eyes grew wide in surprise. Not only was it the same bracelet with the same threaded colors but he had somehow embroidered the intricate pattern into a supple piece of light brown leather, a couple of silver snaps on one side for the purpose of readjusting the size, "How did you do this?"

He gave her a sheepish smile, "With lots of pricked fingers."

Nika giggled, holding it out to him so he could help her snap it on, "Thank you. It's perfect."

Making sure the fit was snug, he snapped it onto her left wrist, giving her a smile full of sincere charm, "Happy birthday, Monika."

Nika wrinkled her nose, giving him a beautiful smile -he was the only one, aside from her mother, that got away with calling her by her given name, "Thank you. See you tomorrow."

Doug waved over her head, giving her one last smile before stepping off the porch and heading to his car.

Closing the door, she turned to help Vivi pick up the living room when her Daddy softly told them it was time for bed; they had a long day tomorrow.

They were going to the mall to shop for new dresses and shoes because in the evening, they would be going into Seattle to see the Freemont Players perform _Sleeping Beauty and the Pea._

It was going to be their first time seeing a real life ballet performance –to date, it was the best birthday ever.

* * *

_October 21__st_

Seth closed the kitchen door behind him, setting the grocery bags on the counter before heading into the living room.

A smile broke across his face at the sight of his Rose cross-legged in the middle of the living room floor, a blue blanket spread out under her.

Leaning against the arch, he watched her, enjoying the way her shoulders curved forward, the straps of the hot pink top somehow emphasizing the beautiful curves as her long hair –it had grown about an inch or so below the small of her back –slid over her arm when she leaned down, a beautiful smile on her face.

His four month old son was in her arms, his bottom wedged into the hollow created by her crossed legs and his head cradled in her cupped hands. He was waving his tiny arms as he looked up at his mother, laughing every time she leaned down to touch her nose to his, his tiny hands opening and closing towards her face when she pulled back.

A faint clicking sound had him looking up and he got sight of the digital camera set up on the tripod and focused on the sweet scene in the middle of the floor –it was something Rose liked to do every month to mark Carlos' life. Several of those pictures, from the day he was born onward, hung on their walls and he had to say –they were breathtaking.

Pushing away from the wall, he moved forward to sit behind Rose, one leg folded under him, the other bent to prop his arm on it as he placed his other hand beside her hip, his arm pressed against her back, "How's my little man doing?"

Rose giggled, tossing her hair back as she looked up at him, the silk spilling over his arm and causing a shiver to run down his back, "He learned something new."

"Really," Seth leaned his forehead against hers for a few seconds before looking down at Carlos, reaching to curve his large hand over the top of his tiny head, his soft dark hair the exact shade as Rose's, "What did you learn, buddy?"

Carlos gurgled, kicking his chubby legs, the tiny Redskins t-shirt he wore along with his diaper riding up a bit to reveal the round curve of his belly as he moved his big light brown eyes from Rose's face to Seth's then back.

"Check this out," Rose leaned forward slightly, her face breaking out into a sudden expression of surprise, Seth laughing as Carlos mirrored her, "That is awesome!"

Rose gave her son's chubby cheek a nibbling kiss, his giggles high and sweet as he grabbed a hank of her hair and yanked, "Ouch. Carlos, _sueltame el pelo. Sueltalo_." ***Let go of my hair. Let go.***

The baby pouted up at her as he relaxed his tiny fingers long enough for Rose to push her hair back over her shoulder as Seth looked at her in surprise, "You speak Spanish to him?"

"I want him to understand it," Rose looked at her husband, her hazel eyes staring into his brown-green ones, "Its' part of his heritage…it doesn't bother you, does it?"

"No," Seth's smile was soft as he reached up to tuck her hair behind a small perfectly shaped ear, tugging gently at the lobe, "I just didn't know."

"You can speak Quileute to him," Rose offered as she turned her eyes back at her wiggling baby, his tiny feet pushing against her stomach as Seth pressed a kiss to the side of her head, "I would if I could."

Rose looked up at him in surprise as he gave her a sheepish smile, "All I know is that poem I tell him every night."

"Oh," Rose tilted her head to the side, her eyes losing focus slightly and Seth knew she was thinking something over before she looked at him again, "Do they teach Quileute at the school?"

Seth nodded, looking down at his son to watch him as he arched his neck, his tiny nose bumping against his father's thumb before he reached up to grab it, "There not many people who can speak the language fluently –a handful, really. There's Billy, Mr. Ateara, Mrs. Hoopsun at school…we learn it growing up but we don't use it so with time, we lose it."

"Its' part of your heritage, Seth," she scolded him gently, looking down at their son who was now happily gnawing at his father's thumb, "Its part of his heritage."

"It's important to you, uh," Seth studied her profile as she continued to look at their son, feeling his heart expanding as she shyly nodded, her eyes filling up with tears as she stroked her thumbs over chubby cheeks, "I want him to know who he is, where he comes from. I want him to have roots…a place he can call home if he ever decides to go out into the world. I don't ever want him to feel like he's just a piece of fluff in the wind, going from place to place but never finding where to belong."

Moving until he sat behind her, his long legs on either side of her hips, he wrapped his arms around her, his cheek pressed against hers, "You have a place where you belong, baby –right here. I know it wasn't easy growing up the way you did, constantly running; never being able to just be but it got you here, with me. I promise you…Carlos will never have to experience what you experienced –never."

Rose smiled, leaning her head back to look into his eyes before she pressed her lips against his, the soft innocent kiss quickly unraveling as Seth curved his fingers along her jaw, his tongue stroking over her bottom lip seeking entrance which she granted willingly.

A few seconds into the kiss, Carlos let out a shriek of displeasure –he didn't like being ignored and really, it wasn't his fault…after all, his parents were always with him and talking to him along with his cousins so to have them so focused on each other and not on him was unusual and therefore unlikeable.

Breaking apart with a soft laugh, Rose rested her forehead against the bridge of his nose for a few seconds before turning back to Carlos, laughing at the scowl on his round little face, "He looks like you, Seth."

Seth chuckled as he rubbed his freed thumb between the furrowed eyebrows, "I think he looks like you. He's definitely got your eyes and hair…and your skin tone."

"That could change with time," Rose laughed as Carlos batted Seth's hand away, his tongue pushing out of his tiny mouth in a sign of hunger, "But for sure, he's got your personality."

"What," Seth wrapped his arms under hers as she brought him up into the cradle position, watching as she pulled down her top, Carlos latching on greedily –for some weird reason he couldn't explain, he loved watching his wife breastfeed their son…the more up close and personal, the better, "That kid is all De La Luna –I've never thrown temper tantrums like that."

Rose laughed, tilting her head to the side to look into his eyes, a small sigh escaping her as she studied his face, "I hope he looks like you…you're so beautiful."

Seth chuckled, dropping his head to press an open mouthed kiss against her shoulder, his hot breath dancing along her skin, "Handsome, baby. The word you should use is handsome."

Rose's laugh turned into a moan as Seth dragged a finger over her shoulder, pulling the strap down her arm as he followed with his mouth, "Seth…I'm feeding your son."

"I know," Seth grinned against her warm skin, his eyes following his finger as it slowly traced the neckline of the pink top across her unoccupied breast, the skin silky and warm, "How about after you finish taking care of his needs, you give me a hand with mine?"

Rose laughed, her stomach clenching as he opened his hand against it, her bent arm cradled in his, their son cradled in hers, "Is a hand all you want?"

"Mhm," Seth moved up her shoulder, licking and sucking lightly, reaching that spot behind her ear and giving it a gentle bite before whispering into her ear, "I want a full course meal."


	44. Chapter 42

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: A long chapter -apologize ahead of time but after the last chapter, I was in a mood so now, you get a double dose of lemonade (strong lemonade with a tequila shot thrown in for fun) before the fluff. The song used at the end is a Thompson Square song called "Glass" that I took as Lian and Julie's...it is, in my opinion, perfect for those two -just as all the others I've used.  
**

**Remember to review because when you don't, I cry...and when I cry, I don't write...and when I don't write, I don't update...see where I'm going with this?  
**

**Chapter Forty-Two (10yrs old)**  
_Wednesday, October 25__th_

Julie stood in the middle of their bedroom, arms at her sides and eyes closed as he touched her, his hands moving over her naked body in exploration.

A shiver ran down her back as he moved around her, his fingers skimming along her ribs to her back, his breath skimming along her shoulders. To anyone else who didn't know their circumstances, it almost looked like he was clinically cataloging every dip and curve of her body but that wasn't the case.

No, Lian was reconciling his memories of the feel of her body to what he was seeing now –four months could render a lot of changes and he wanted to find every single one.

"These are bigger," he whispered into her ear, sliding his hands under her arms to cup her breasts, his thumbs moving across her hard nipples in a light touch, "And darker."

Julie let out a soft moan as the vibrations inside her increased minutely with every touch of his hands, her skin warm and flushed as he moved his hands down her flat stomach to cover her lower abdomen, his mouth moving down her neck to her shoulder, his bare chest hard against her back.

"This isn't flat anymore," his breath skittered over her skin, her own hitching as his mouth moved down the middle of her back, his tongue tracing a line along her spine until he was on his knees.

Moving his hands to gently grip her hips, he pressed an open mouthed kiss on the small of her back, splaying his fingers around her waist, "Your hips are wider."

Julie knew any other woman would be feeling self conscious about the way he was measuring her body with his hands but not her, not when she could see the burning desire in his eyes and feel the tender love of his touch as he gently turned her around to face him.

His fingers skimmed over the round curve of her bottom, moving down the back of her thighs until he reached her ankles then doing the return trip up the front, leaning forward to press a soft kiss against the hard curve of her lower stomach, "And here's our little tadpole. I'm gonna get to see you, baby. I won't have to hear from others if you look like your mama or like me 'cause I'll get to see you myself."

Julie fought back the urge to cry, her heart melting at his words as he curved his hands around either side of her small baby bump, his lips brushing her skin with every word.

Tilting his head back, he smiled at her, admiring the way her face was flushed with desire, her purple eyes bright with need as she looked down at him, "You're even more beautiful than I remembered."

Lifting a hand to cup the side of his face, she brushed her thumb over his cheekbone, a small gasp escaping her as he slipped a hand down her stomach and between her thighs, "Julian –"

"Shh," he gently bit her stomach before moving his mouth to her hip, sucking at the smooth skin hard enough to leave a mark before moving further south, "I've missed seeing you like this. The flush of your skin, that needy look in your eyes –open for me, baby."

Julie couldn't do anything other than obey, her hands on his shoulders keeping her from falling to her knees as he slid his fingers through the tight curls to find her wet and hot, his thumb lightly brushing over the hidden swollen bundle of nerves.

"So beautiful," Lian kissed her inner thigh, one hand holding on to her hip while the other one spread her open, his middle finger stroking her slick opening while his thumb rubbed over her clit, "Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are, July?"

She shook her head, her throat tight as she kept heavy lidded eyes on him, her body trembling with desire –she could feel the fire running through her veins and by the look in Lian's eyes, he planned on reducing her to a smoldering pile of ashes.

Lian leaned in, covering her with his mouth as he pushed a single finger into her tight entrance, his lips closing over that sweet little pearl that had her crying out, her fingers digging into his shoulders as he gently sucked, giving it a soft bite as he pushed a second finger into her.

"Julian…" Julie's sob came out strangled as pleasure and pain ran like lightning through her, the coil deep inside her belly twisting tighter.

Moving his mouth lower, he gripped her hips to tilt them forward as he lapped at her opening before pushing his tongue into her, the taste of her arousal like sweet honey coating his tongue. He was hungry for her –ravenous, really, and he had no plans to deny himself the joy that came with pleasuring his Julie.

She could feel every suck, every stroke, her lungs struggling to breathe as she got closer and closer to the edge; she knew he wasn't going to stop until she splintered but she wanted him in her –now.

"Julian, please…"

She felt his smile against her tender flesh, his tongue moving over her in one long stroke before he looked up at her, his warm brown eyes dark with burning desire, "I want to watch you come, July. Let go, baby –I'll give you what you want if you just let go."

Julie shook her head, the clip holding her hair up slipping, curls tumbling down her back as she tossed her head back, a sob squeezing past the tightness in her throat.

"Don't fight it, baby," Lian moved his hand back between her thighs, his fingers sliding through her slick folds to gently pinch her clit, pleasure streaking through her like lightning shoving her over the edge as she let out a scream, her legs giving out.

Catching her before she hit the floor, he stood up in one fluid move, taking them towards the bed.

Julie was floating in the silky wetness of her release but the pulsating ache in the pit of her stomach demanded for more as she watched him through half closed eyes, admiring the way the bedroom light casted shadows on his body as he removed his jeans, hot eyes moving over her as she laid on the bed, her legs hanging off the edge.

Kicking his jeans aside, he used his knee to nudge her legs further apart, kneeling on the bed between them as he placed his hands on either side of her head.

She stared into his eyes, her chest rising with each shallow breath she took. The seconds bleeding into minutes, the sexual charge between them increasing to such heights, they both knew a single touch would send them up in flames.

He kept his eyes on hers, loving the way they darkened into a midnight violet as he slowly lowered his head, his mouth a breath away from hers.

Julie couldn't take the waiting anymore, reaching up to pull him down that final bit, her mouth open and eager under his, her long legs moving against him as she lifted her hips in silent supplication.

Lian's hands were all over her: touching, squeezing, molding, his tongue thrusting into her mouth in a parody of what his body wanted to do to hers. Her entire body was aching with need so acute it was almost painful.

Dragging her fingernails down his back, she gripped his hips and pulled, his body crashing into hers, legs and arms wrapping around him to keep him from moving.

Lian let out a groaning chuckle, moving his mouth down her neck, one hand molding her breast, the nipple hard between his thumb and forefinger as he plotted a path down her chest with open mouthed kisses.

Julie's moan was partly due to pleasure but also frustration as she tilted her hips, his hard cock sliding between her wet folds, butting against her clit with every stroke but she wanted him inside her and it drove her crazy to no end.

"Julian," she dug her fingers into his lower back, her own coming of the bed as he sucked at her nipple, his teeth scraping against the sensitive skin, "Julian, please…I need you."

Her strangled sob was his undoing as he pulled one of her legs over his arm, his cock sliding into her in one long smooth stroke, stretching her tight pussy until he was buried to the hilt.

Gritting his teeth, he tried to breathe through the crashing waves of pleasure as her inner muscles rippled around his, squeezing rhythmically and almost shoving him over the edge.

"Move," she punctuated her demand with a tilt of her hips, pulling him in deeper when he thought he couldn't go and deeper, "Dammit Julian! Move!"

Lian chuckled, keeping her leg over his arm as he did what she asked, pressing his forehead against hers, "Open your eyes and look at me, baby."

Julie's eyes flew open, her breathing coming fast as he pushed into her, every thrust and pull getting her closer to the edge of the universe.

Lian stared into her eyes, able to see the storm inside her gathering force, certain as he slammed into her at a hard and fast paced that this one was going to tear them apart.

As long as she held on to him; as long as she didn't let go she would survive the maelstrom deep inside her.

Lian let out a growl as her unfocused eyes closed, "Keep your eyes open, July. Don't you –fucking dare –close them!"

He wanted to see it –wanted to watch as his soul became hers, as her heart became his.

They broke simultaneously, their separate worlds shattering into millions of pieces only to come together, forming one world, one heart, one soul.

Lian rolled onto his back, his arms tight around her keeping their bodies united as he worked at breathing, the weight of her body on his giving him a deep sense of peace and belonging.

He was halfway asleep when he felt her tears running hot down his chest, his eyebrows lowering as he ran his fingers through her hair, tucking his chin in to look at her face, "What's wrong, baby? Did I hurt you?"

Julie shook her head, reaching up to wipe her cheeks as the tears kept coming, "It's nothing. I'm sorry, I just…"

Kissing her forehead, he kept one arm around her waist as he sat up, crossing his legs under her bottom which drew him deeper into her, his cock growing hard with every passing second: "Talk to me, baby. Tell me what you're feeling."

She stared into his chocolate brown eyes, arms wrapped around his shoulders as she moved her legs until they were wrapped around him, her breasts flat against his hard chest, "I'm just…grateful –so grateful I found you when I did. You're giving me…the chance to live, truly live…and to love…most importantly to love."

Lian smiled into her eyes, stroking her hair away from her face, his thumb stroking her bottom lip, "You've always been mine, July. It just took a while to get there, right?"

Her swollen lips spread into a smile as she nodded, her fingers lazily stroking the back of his neck, "Do you believe in soul mates?"

Lian chuckled, breathing in every time she exhaled; a strange sense of flowing energy moved through them and set every nerve in their bodies on fire, "We're not two halves of one, July. We are one soul."

Julie smiled, gently kissing his mouth, lips clinging to each other before she slid her tongue over his bottom lip, pulling back slightly to look into his dark eyes, her whisper soft against his moist lips, "It's what a mermaid searches for –a soul. A soul freely given, freely shared because she doesn't have her own."

"You have mine," Lian tilted his head to the side, his open mouth moving down her throat, licking and sucking as his words caressed her flushed skin, his hands on her ass rocking her into him, "It's yours to do with as you wish."

She stared into his eyes, seeing the truth in his words, her heart expanding with the knowledge that she had a soul…a beautiful, giving, loving, all encompassing soul –his soul.

Covering his mouth with hers, they both knew there was no need for words anymore, their bodies moving in a slow rhythm, the music they created a perfect blend of melody and harmony transcendent in its beauty as they settled into soft, soul-stirring lovemaking, time seizing to exist for them.

* * *

_Friday, October 27__th_

Seth sat in the middle of the couch, feet propped on the coffee table as the game unfolded before him but he wasn't really paying attention to what was going on, too busy thinking how life seemed to be so…purposefully planned.

Back before Leah left La Push in search of freedom, she had been fond of saying how fate loved to fuck her up, constantly handing her one bad hand after another. He'd never given it much thought back then but now he actually wondered about it as his wife worked in the kitchen to finish the engagement album for tomorrow's wedding.

Fate –what goes around comes around, Murphy's law and all that shit?

Was there actually a higher up who enjoyed throwing a kink into the gears of life then sit back to watch the chaos that ensued?

In the end, though, it seemed to work out so he wondered –was that fate as well or was it simply life learning to adapt and overcome?

There was the example of his sister being dealt a shitty hand but in the end, she won the jackpot.

Then there was tomorrow.

He'd finally forgive himself for his part in un-railing Julie's life but he had to wonder –if he hadn't gone to California to watch a sunrise, would she have made it into Lian's life?

He had to believe that, being they were so obviously meant to be together, somehow they would have found each other just like that whole ridiculous magnet imagery Julie had used to explain soul mates to him.

But it seemed fate had wanted some entertainment in the form of fucking them both over for a little while as punishment for daring to step outside whatever plan it had in mind.

Yeah, fate was definitely female –a vindictive bitch who liked to get her way or wreck havoc if she didn't.

But in the end, it all turned out the way it was supposed to –he had his beautiful Rose, the very woman that defined who he was and kept him tethered to her.

And Julie had found his cousin. He was able to give her the one thing Seth didn't have –a soul that could completely belong to her.

Being what he was, there had been that possibility of someone else coming along and claiming what belonged to her…somehow, Julie had known this.

He was happy for her, for both of them but he supposed a part of him wondered how much easier it would have been for everyone involved had their paths not converged the way they had.

"Fuck!"

Seth's thoughts halted as he looked towards the kitchen, dropping his bare feet to the floor before standing up, placing the remote on the coffee table them moving into the kitchen.

Rose sat at the kitchen table, a finger in her mouth and he was able to deduce she had somehow gotten a paper cut but still, "Did I just hear you say fuck?"

Rose's cheeks flushed as she gave him a cautious look as she spoke around her finger, "Maybe."

Seth shook his head, a smirk on his face as he leaned against the archway, "Tsk, tsk Rosie. Good girls shouldn't use that kind of language."

The flush in her cheeks deepened, her eyes dancing as she pulled her finger out of her mouth, "Are you going to punish me?"

Seth's smirk grew while his pants got tighter –damn, but that woman knew how to push his buttons, "What would you do if you herd Marc talk like that?"

The confusion in her eyes was adorable and downright sexy as she tilted her head, biting her bottom lip for a few seconds before answering, "Wash his mouth out with soap?"

"That makes sense," Seth pushed away from the wall, moving the couple of steps to take her hand and pull her out of the chair, picking up the baby monitor on the kitchen table before leading her down the hall, "Dirty mouths should be cleaned."

Her voice was slightly high pitched as he pulled her into their bathroom, Seth giving the crib where Carlos slept a glance before closing the bathroom door behind them, "You're washing my mouth out with soap?"

"Mhm," Seth set the monitor on one of the shelves before turning his eyes back to his wife, slowly stalking her until her back hit the bathroom door, "I've got a better idea for that dirty mouth of yours."

Rose swallowed, her breath hitching slightly as he dipped his head to give her earlobe a tug, his tongue sliding into the inner shell of her ear before he whispered hotly into it, "You've wanted to learn how to do this for a while now…"

Seth couldn't hold back a chuckle at the eager look in her eyes, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as he smirked at her, "You're a naughty girl, Rosie."

She couldn't help blushing, her breath catching in her throat as she looked down, Seth's erection pushing against the denim jeans he wore.

Reaching with trembling fingers, she popped the snap open, pulling the zipper down halfway before he stopped her, his mouth at her throat as he pulled her hands way, "Hold on, baby. You first."

Rose moaned as her head fell back against the door, her hands trapped over her head by one of his as he covered her breast with the other, his thumb rubbing circles around the hard nipple, the friction of her bra and top taking her breath away.

Sucking at the soft skin behind her ear, he pushed his hips into her, wedging a thigh between hers until she was riding it, her toes barely touching the tiled floor.

Letting go of her wrists, he grabbed the hem of her top and yanked it up and off, tossing it aside before taking her small waist in his hands and pushing her higher up the door until her breasts were at the same level as his mouth.

Rose let out a soft moan, wrapping her long legs around his waist as he gently nibbled along the edge of her bra, his hands inside the back of her jeans, squeezing her ass as he grinded his hard-on against her.

Rose's lower abdomen clenched, able to feel her panties getting wet with her arousal, her fingers tugging at his hair as she covered his mouth with hers –taking control of the kiss, he moved one hand out of her jeans to undo the button and zipper of her jeans.

Grabbing the back of his t-shirt, she pulled it over his head, tossing it aside and sliding her hands down his muscled back, her fingernails dragging lightly against the hot skin, making him shudder as he pushed his hand into her panties, finding her wet and hot, "God, baby, you smell so fucking good when you're turned on."

Rose groaned, tilting her hips as he pushed his hand in deeper, his thumb rubbing over her clit, his fingers stroking her opening before pushing in, "Oh God, Seth…"

He pushed his two fingers in deeper, curling them against the tight walls of her pussy every time he pulled them out, her teeth biting into his neck, raising his temperature higher up the scale.

"I want you naked, baby," Seth whispered, his breath hot against the soft swells of her breasts as he kissed his way down between them, tugging at the front clasp with his teeth until it popped open.

She shrugged her bra off as he slid his hand down her smooth back, hooking his thumb into the waistband of her jeans and panties before dragging them down over the swell of her ass, a whimpering protest escaping her as he removed his hands from what it was doing.

Unwrapping her legs from around his waist, he pressed his chest against hers to keep her anchored between him and the door while she gained her footing, her fingers digging into his shoulders as he slowly dropped to his knees, his hot mouth charting a trail down her stomach as he dragged her jeans and panties down to the floor.

He watched her face, his eyes dark and hot as he slipped his thumb in to rub against her swollen nub, her flushed face and chest letting him know she was close to coming.

Using him to keep her balance, she stepped out of her clothes, her breath embarrassingly loud as he reached up to cup her ass in both hands, pulling her into him as his tongue slid into her slick folds, flicking her clit a couple of times before he closed his lips around it, pushing his thumb into her and rubbing that soft spot he knew would set her off.

It was almost unfair, the way he knew her body so well –Rose tried to bite back the scream building inside her but it still came out although a bit strangled as her entire body tightened until it finally snapped, the pleasure of her release washing over her as she muttered inconsequential things in her native language, her fingers relaxing from their tight grip on his hair.

He leaned back on his heels, letting her slide down the door and into his arms, his body temperature keeping her from getting chilled as he wrapped his arms tight around her, his own body still aching with need for release but he wasn't going to say anything.

He swallowed back a groan at how painfully aroused he was, the idea of her mouth on him dominating all other thoughts.

Kissing the top of her head softly, he slowly rubbed circles against her back, trying to subdue images of her doing what he'd promised her he'd teach her.

They'd been married for almost five years now and although she had asked, more than once, for him to teach her how to 'suck him' –damn Rachel for her big mouth and lack of discretion –he had refrained for fear of hurting her or having her feel…used.

Don't get him wrong, the idea of her sucking him made him so fucking hard it bordered on painful but he couldn't get over a couple of things –one, the proportional difference between her mouth and his cock was a bit of a concern and two, his sweet wife was about as innocent as they came, having learned everything involving sexual satisfaction from him.

Despite her interest in learning to please him this way, he knew some women didn't like it and he didn't want to subject her to it just to find out she was one of them.

Pressing a kiss between his pecs, Rose was completely oblivious to the thoughts going on in Seth's head, simply focusing on the burning curiosity she'd had for a long time as she dragged her fingernails down his flat stomach, looking up at him with a sultry smile, "Your turn."

Seth swallowed hard, staring into her beautiful eyes, able to pick out the green and gold flecks that seemed to heighten in color whenever she was aroused.

Letting out a breath, he decided to suck it up…well, yeah –she was going to be doing that. He'll just have to take it like a man if she didn't like it, not to mention keeping himself from losing control.

Burrowing his fingers into her hair to tilt her head back, he kissed her swollen mouth, sliding his tongue across the inside of her bottom lip before he stood up, grabbing one of the fluffy blankets she kept on the shelves behind the bathroom door, "Put this under your knees."

Rose did as he said, looking up at him, the utter trust in her hazel eyes, rocking him to the core. Trying to control his breathing, he gently dragged his thumbs down the sides of her face, pushing her long hair behind her shoulder before cupping her chin in a hand, "Undo my jeans."

She bit her lip, reaching up to finish unzipping his jeans, her core clenching with need –for some strange reason, it really turned her on when he got all bossy with her which she was certain meant having him teach her how to do this was going to have her hot and bothered in no time at all.

Curling her fingers around the waistband and pulling them down along with his boxers, she swallowed nervously, eying his erection –dear God, was she actually going to be able to get it all into her mouth?

Seth could see the nervousness in her eyes, feel the apprehension rolling off of her, "You don't have to do this, baby –"

"No," she shook her head, dragging his jeans the rest of the way down, watching as he stepped out of them and kicked them aside before reaching up and gently wrapping her fingers around him, "I want to do this…for you. Please."

Seth swallowed back a groan, about ready to blow his load at the sight of her on her knees, her face openly showing eagerness in wanting to please him, "Breathe through your nose…and…relax your jaw –and your throat…take it slow baby and be careful with your teeth."

Rose gave a small nod, lowering her eyes to the thick cock she held in her hand, her thumb rubbing the plump vein that ran underneath it, watching with interest as a bead of liquid formed at the tip, "What do I do when…when I…when I have you in my mouth?"

Seth let out a soft groan, the hunger in her eyes as she surveyed his cock making him shiver as he reached up to brace himself against the bathroom door, "Just…just think of a lollipop."

Rose's lips slowly spread into a smile that had him lose his breath as she moved her small hand up his turgid length, tightening her grip slightly before sliding back down towards his balls.

Rose couldn't help thinking how Seth always told her she tasted amazing and as she stared at the liquid bead precariously perched at the tip of his cock, she briefly wondered what he would taste like.

He watched her through hooded eyes as she leaned forward, her pink tongue darting out to lick the pre-cum from the tip of his dick.

The explosion of taste on her tongue had her eyes grow wide, the humming inside her resonating through every nerve. Without another thought, she swirled her tongue around the head of his cock before sucking it into her mouth.

"Oh fuck," Seth groaned, his head falling back onto his shoulders as he forced himself to keep still, the wet suction of her mouth feeling gloriously amazing as she slowly sucked him deeper, "Ah, shit, baby –fuck –that feels so…so fucking good!"

Rose hummed around him, stopping briefly to remind herself to breathe through her nose before she slid her mouth off him only to swallow as much of him as she could, the rush of power that swept through her causing a shiver to skitter down her back, her thighs clenching in an attempt to relieve the pulsating ache in her core.

"Argh," Seth groaned, a hand tangling in her hair as he lost the fight to keep still, his hips thrusting forward, "Fuck, Rosie, that…ah, shit, baby –just like that…"

Rose sucked him hard, her cheeks hollowing as she took more of him in her mouth, her small hand keeping in rhythm with her mouth fingers tight around what she couldn't reach.

"Ah, fuck –fuck, baby," Seth couldn't think past how she was deep-throating him, his eyes rolling into the back of his head at the amazing way her mouth pushed him closer to the edge.

His baby girl was a fucking natural at this –not to mention enthusiastic –and he couldn't help but let out a growl as she pulled back to swirl her tongue around the head of his cock. Reaching down, he pulled her up by her shoulders, spinning her around to face the bathroom sink.

"Seth," her bottom lip poked out in a pout as he placed her hands on the lip of the sink before yanking her hips back and nudging her legs open with his knee, "I'm not done."

"Yes, you are," Seth reached up to grab a fistful of her hair, pulling her head back as he leaned over her, his teeth biting into the back of her neck as he slid into her.

She was so damn wet and hot that he had no problem pushing into her tight pussy until he was buried as deep as he could go.

Rose let out a low moan, her entire being focusing on the full feeling as his thick cock stretched her to the point of almost hurting, every thrust of his hips pushing her closer to the precipice.

Seth was about to explode but dear God, he needed his Rosie to go first. Reaching around her, he slid his fingers into her folds, finding her swollen clit and giving it a gentle pinch, her inner muscles clamped around him hard, his own orgasm rushing through him so fast he couldn't catch his breath as they both exploded.

Pulling out of her, he stumbled back until he hit the wall, Rose still in his arms as he slid down to sit on the floor with her in his lap, her head falling back onto his shoulder.

Breathing hard, he kept his arms around her, burying his face in her neck as he breathed her in, the scent of their combined release bringing him some peace.

"Wow," Rose muttered as she wiggled in his lap to snuggle into his side, "That was…"

"Amazing," Seth reached up to sweep back the tendrils of hair sticking to her face, pressing a kiss against her forehead, "Fucking amazing."

She _nodded_, closing her eyes as she let out a sigh of satisfaction, her entire body molded into his like warm putty.

Seth watched her for a few seconds before pressing a kiss against her swollen mouth, his breath hot as he whispered, "I love you, Rosa…so damn much."

Rose smiled, forcing her eyes to open as she looked up into his, her own glinting with a teasing light, "You're only saying that because I sucked you."

Seth laughed, his head falling back against the wall for a few seconds before he looked into her eyes, "You did a pretty damn good job too…you definitely know how to put that dirty mouth of yours to good use."

Rose giggled, moving until she was able to wrap her arms around his torso as she gave him a teasing smile, "Was that my punishment?"

"Mhm," Seth ran his fingers through her long hair, his other hand drawing patterns against the smooth skin of her thigh, "That depends."

"On what?"

"Did you learn your lesson?"

Rose blushed, her eyes dancing as she tilted her head until her lips were only a breath away from his, "Fuck no."

His laughter shook both of them, pulling her in for a tongue thrusting kiss but not before saying into her mouth with a grin, "Good."

* * *

_Saturday, October 28__th_

He was having a hard time standing still but every time he shifted in place, he caught a glare out of the corner of his eye from Rachel Lahote.

Of all people for his Julie to go to for wedding planning help, did it have to be her? He knew she worked as a therapist at Forks Memorial but now he was starting to believe she had some hidden dream of being the wedding planner from hell.

About to shift his weight from one foot to the other, and incur the wrath of the bitch with the headset, he completely forgot the annoyance of having her glaring at him on his wedding day as the music changed.

The soft hum of steel strings heralded the beginning of his future as he looked across the beach, smiling with indulgence as Lyn walked towards him, looking beautiful in the peach silk dress Julie had picked for her being she was the matron of honor…and the only member of their wedding party.

Lian hadn't asked Seth to be his best man considering the past history between his bride and his cousin which he thought would be too weird, so they'd agreed on just Lyn's company.

His train of thought completely derailed as he finally caught sight of the woman who owned him body, heart and soul.

Red-brown curls hung down her bare back, strands of pearls with a hint of blush –her aunt from Weihai had send them –were weaved through the tresses. Her lips tinged a soft peach and her eyes looking large with dark lashes surrounding them, a light shimmer of silver across her lids bringing out the beautiful violet hue that always took his breath away.

The halter style bodice of her dress lovingly hugged her from breasts to waist, leaving her entire back bare as it fell from her hips to the middle of her shins in a waterfall of ivory silk as the cold ocean water crashed over her bare feet.

As she drew closer to him, he could feel his heart expanding in his chest, air escaping his lung in a rush without any possibility of it being replaced –God, he couldn't believe he'd gotten so damn lucky to be able to give everything of himself to this…this…ethereal being.

Julie smiled into his eyes, the dozen irises she cradled in her left arm trembling as she carefully walked towards him, the smooth pebbles shifting under her feet as the moon's pearlescent light spilled over everything stretched out before her.

Reaching him, she slipped her hand in his offered on, an odd tingle running up her arm and settling in her stomach as he gently pulled her closer. Once he had her close enough to wrap his arms around her, he did so, lowering his head until their foreheads gently touched, neither looking away from the others' eyes even when the preacher began to speak.

Jiao wiped at a tear with the back of her hand, her heart feeling full as she watched her daughter –her beautiful baby girl –staring into the eyes of her soul. Pressing her hand against her chest, she couldn't hold back her smile, or the tears, as she recalled the day her little July had been born…it had been such a beautiful experience, so different from her first time when she gave birth to a son she never even got to see.

Her arms, having felt so empty for so long, were occupied by this sweet little angel with features so perfect, so exquisite…and when she had handed her over to the one man who not only knew who she truly was but loved her for it, she hadn't been able to stop herself from crying. He had been the first man to love her baby, to look at her and see the entire universe in those beautiful violet-hued eyes of hers but Jiao had known, just as her own mother had with her –he wouldn't be the one to offer her the anchor needed to live a life full of love and joy.

Taking the handkerchief her father quietly handed her, she carefully dabbed her eyes as the preacher nodded towards Julie for her vows.

Handing the irises –tied together with the five ribbons he had used for his proposal –to Lyn, she placed her hands on his chest, his steady heartbeat under her right hand, "True love is hard to find –some people go through a lifetime without ever experiencing the joy and acceptance that comes with it. When you offered to give me what I've long been searching for, I was too much of a coward to take it…and in my cowardice, I hurt you."

Lian gave her a soft smile, reaching up to frame her face in his big hands, the rough pads of his thumbs brushing away the tears rolling down her cheeks, quietly waiting for her to continue.

"But like true love, you didn't give up on me. You stuck around…continued to be my friend…you saved me."

She stared deep into his brown eyes, seeing her whole life in them –from beginning to end. She touched his squared jaw with trembling fingers, "You have kept every promise you've made to me…and I know you'll do everything in your power to continue keeping those promises. So now, in front of our family and friends, I promise to honor you by always standing by you no matter what. I'll forsake all others but never you. I will guard our future together from here on out, never allowing anyone outside of ourselves to change its course. I'll dedicate my time, my energy, my everything to make _our_ dreams come true. Most importantly, I will love you –every day –and my love will grow and mature and will always be yours."

Lian fought back the tears threatening to fall, touching his thumb to her bottom lip as the preacher looked at him with prompting he didn't need, "Not long ago –at someone else's wedding –I made the comment that marriage was for the strong man…and I wasn't one of them…but even then –even then I knew you were mine just as certainly as the first time I heard you sing…but in my cowardice, I hurt you."

Julie bit her bottom lip, her hands moving up his chest to link behind his neck, a strand of pearls getting caught between his fingers. Rubbing the pearl between his thumb and forefinger, he let himself get lost in her purple eyes, "You…you hold my soul, my heart…my very life. You have made me a better man –a stronger man. You've given me the strength to be here right now, to be the man you need…I'll keep being that man, July. I'll keep my promises –the ones I've made and will make…I'll keep them because you've given me the ability to do so. I'll love you, stand by you, chase _our _dreams with you –I'll hold you through the good times and the bad…it's a lifetime guarantee, baby, that I'll be your man…because I know no other way to be."

They exchanged rings, everyone erupting into applause and cheers as the preacher pronounced them husband and wife, Lian pulling her flush against his body as she tugged his head down for a deep, drawn out kiss.

The dark sky lit up with fireworks, Seth along with Lance and Derek letting out high pitched wolf whistles that had the bride and groom breaking apart with a laugh, their eyes dancing as they grinned at each other.

The fun was just getting started –

* * *

Round tables were set up around the dance floor, the centerpieces simple yet uniquely designed by Julie herself: five white candles held together to create a star by five ribbons alternately weaved around them –green, yellow, blue, red and purple.

Seth bounced Carlos on his knee, the four month old laughing at the faces his daddy was making as he waved his arms, tiny hands opening and closing in glee. Rose watched, smiling in enjoyment at the sight of her boys bonding.

Everyone turned their attention to the band on the stage –the reception was being held indoors at St. Anne's –as one of the guitarists stepped before a microphone, "Hello everyone! I'm Mitch, one of the guitarists of the Young-Star Band…it's been a while since we've all played together but I can tell you, none of us have ever been more excited to play than we are right now so without further ado, the first dance –and song –of the night. Give it up for Mr. and Mrs. Lian Young!"

The applause thundered in the enclosed space as a spotlight lit up the middle of the dance floor, Julie standing in the pool of light as the band seamlessly launched into the opening notes, Lian stepping into the circle of light as she began to sing, her voice smooth as whiskey picked up by the earpiece microphone she wore:

_Trying to live and love  
With a heart that can't be broken  
Is like trying to see the light  
With eyes that can't be opened_

_Yeah, we both carry baggage  
We picked up on our way  
So if you love me do it gently  
And I will do the same_

Lian's deep baritone joined hers in the chorus, a perfect blend that took everyone's breath away:

_We may shine, we may shatter  
We may be picking up the pieces here on after  
We are fragile, we are human  
We are shaped by the light we let through us_

_We break fast, 'cause we are glass  
'Cause we are glass_

Her eyes never left his as he sang the second verse, the words they wrote together resonating deep in their soul:

_I'll let you look inside me  
Through the stains and through the cracks  
And in the darkness of this moment  
You see the good and bad_

_But try not to judge me  
Cause we've walked down different paths  
But it brought us here together  
So I won't take that back_

As they slowly moved around the dance floor, eyes never looking away from each other, they sang the rest of the song together, no one paying attention to anything else other than the perfect couple before them:

_We may shine, we may shatter  
We may be picking up the pieces here on after  
We are fragile, we are human  
We are shaped by the light we let through us  
We break fast, 'cause we are glass_

_We might be oil and water  
This could be a big mistake  
We might burn like gasoline and fire  
It's a chance we'll have to take_

_We may shine, we may shatter  
We may be picking up the pieces here on after  
We are fragile, we are human  
We are shaped by the light we let through us  
We break fast, 'cause we are glass_

_We are glass_

Natalie reached up to wipe away at a tear, feeling so happy for them, the excitement at sharing this moment with their multitude of fans humming underneath the joy of seeing them so in love.

They had agreed to give her a copy of their wedding video –she herself had found the best videographer in the business –and allowing her to edit it to be launched as the music video for this song. After five months of sabbatical, fans were anxious to know what was going on with Lian Young and July Star –Natalie knew, without a doubt, this song –and its subsequent video –was going to hit the top of the charts and stay there for a long, long time.

Just the way those two would be together for a long…long time.


	45. Chapter 43

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Nika -11 yrs old, sixth grade: Vivi -10 yrs old, sixth grade: Bailey -12 yrs old, seventh grade: Lili -7 yrs old, third grade: Zak -5 yrs old, first grade: Carlos -5 months old and as always, Gabe's age is after the chapter.  
**

**Chapter Forty-Three (10yrs old)  
**_Sunday, October 29__th_

The afternoon sky was overcast, a hint of cold moisture hanging in the air, the ocean crashing onto the surf. A storm was coming but that didn't stop the residents of La Push from going about their day, especially the two girls walking across the beach.

They were dressed for comfort with dark blue jeans tucked into Uggs, one pair black the other brown. While the brunette wore a black fleece sweater with silver piping, the redhead's was a pink one with brown underlining visible due to it being zipped up halfway, the brown and pink layered top visible underneath.

"We have two days to get you a costume," Nika kept her hands in the pockets of her sweater, the wind ruffling her straight shoulder length hair, "The party is Tuesday night."

"I don't think I'm going," Vivi reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, the rest of the red-gold tresses in a fishtail braid handing down her left shoulder.

"You have to go," Nika looked over at her friend in complete surprise –Vivi loved Halloween so it made no sense why she would skip out on the annual party the tribe council sponsored for the kids and teens of La Push, "You go every year."

Viv shrugged, her eyes on the pebbled surf as their long legs ate up the distance, "I don't really know anyone."

"You know me," Nika could see there was more to her best friend's not wanting to go that just that, "And Bradley, Bailey –Gabriel's going to be there."

Wrinkling her nose as they reached the sidewalk and turned a corner, she bit her bottom lip but didn't say anything.

Stopping her in the middle of the street, Nika kept a light grip on Vivi's wrist as she looked at her, "What's the matter, Vivi? Why don't you want to go?"

Vivi shrugged again –she didn't really want to tell Nika because she knew her best friend was extremely loyal and would get upset on her behalf, "No reason."

"Don't lie to me," Nika's brown eyes stayed on Vivi's face, her own making it clear they weren't going to be moving until she 'fessed up.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she looked away from Nika's eyes, digging her toe into a crack in the road, "I went to get ice cream with Marc last week…there was a small group of girls outside and they kept giggling and looking over at us. I thought it was because of Marc but when he went inside for extra napkins, one of them came up to our table…she called me a pale face, told me I didn't belong in the reservation then knocked my ice cream into my lap –all her friends laughed."

Nika's face was slack with shock, Vivi watching in fascination as that initial reaction morphed into anger, "That bitch! Tell me Marc tore into her."

"They were gone by the time he came out –I told him I had knocked it over."

"Oh Vivi," Nika shook her head, eyes shining with genuine empathy, "You can't let narrow minded people like Susan Hopson dictate your life."

"You know her?"

"Of course," Nika rolled her eyes as they continued walking towards their destination, "She and her group of friends are total jerks –really bitchy. Everyone at school hates them."

"Even Bailey?"

"Especially Bailey," Nika kicked at a rock, the movement fluid as they headed up the drive of the little house, "They're really mean to her."

Vivi let out a sigh, knocking on the door as soon as they stepped up onto the porch. A couple of minutes passed before the door swung open, dark brown eyes staring at them in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"Lili called," Nika knew Bailey didn't like Vivi –she never had –and although they got along at school, whenever Vivi was around, Nika stood by her best friend no matter what, "Said she needed our help with something."

Bailey clenched her jaw, staring at them for a few seconds longer before stepping back to let them in, fighting the burning rage that always rose up whenever she was in close proximity to Vivi, "She's in our room."

Vivi and Nika followed behind her as soon as she closed the door, neither saying anything as they looked at each other. They didn't have to say anything because they were both thinking the same thing –Bailey would be a very pretty girl is she smiled more…and learned how to dress.

With her long legs, lean build and exotic looking face, she would have attracted her fair share of boys but Bailey Uley had no interest in boys outside the three she hung out with and it was obvious by just looking at her.

Vivi tried not to judged –after all, the ripped skinny jeans she wore with worn high top Converse and a faded long sleeve blue top could be considered punkish chick but she knew Bailey cared very little about what she wore, probably putting on the first things she grabbed after rolling out of bed.

"Lili," Bailey walked into the large room she shared with her little sister, "Vivi and Nika are here."

Lili looked up from the child sized sewing machine, the long table up against the wall covered in fabric, "Great!"

"I'm gonna go watch TV."

"No," Lili looked up at her with big brown eyes, "You're my helper. You have to stay."

Bailey tried not to roll her eyes, wishing –not for the first time –she weren't so susceptible to her little sister's puppy dog eyes…that little girl sure knew how to use her big brown eyes, not to mention the dimples, to her advantage, "Fine."

She gave her that big smile, the one that kept her out of trouble. Granted, compared to her and Brad, Lili was a total angle but still, there were times she would do something and resorted to using that smile –it always worked on Daddy…every single time.

"Vivi, you try this one," Lili handed her a dress of sea-green, turning to the closet to pull out a deep purple dress as Vivi walked towards the door, "Where are you going?"

Vivi's face flushed a pale pink, "To the bathroom."

Lili's eyebrows lowered, "Change here –we're all girls."

The blush deepened as she looked over at Bailey leaning against the door, "The door's open."

This time, Bailey didn't hold back, rolling her eyes as she closed the door behind her, grabbing one of her _X-treme Sports_ magazines from the desk next to her bed before flopping sideways onto the unmade bed.

Vivi tried not to feel self-conscious as she laid the dress on Lili's bed, Nika taking the one the little girl offered. She knew Nika and Bailey were already wearing training bras and somehow, her lack of…attributes had her feeling shy about changing before the two girls.

Turning her back to them, she unzipped her sweater, able to hear Nika undressing, Bailey flipping the glossy pages of her magazine. As soon as she removed her long sleeved top, she took the dress and pulled it over her head, the knit material soft against her skin.

Looking over her shoulder, she swallowed back a giggle as Lili handed a gold brown dress to Bailey; no one had ever seen her in a dress since she was three.

Letting out a sigh of aggravation, she tossed her magazine aside, catching the look or surprise on her little sister's face, feeling grateful when she didn't say anything.

Bailey had a secret she didn't want the other two girls to know –she, tomboy extraordinaire who wouldn't be caught dead in a skirt, dress or the color pink, loved to play model to Lili's designer.

Aside from Lili, Brad was the only one who knew and she sworn him to secrecy on pain of death so she just had to make sure the girls didn't pick up on her excitement.

"So are you hanging out with the boys later," Nika asked Bailey, the silence finally getting to her as she removed her Uggs, Lili having pointed to their jeans in a motion for them to be removed.

Bailey shrugged, toeing off her Converse, "Brad's working on his computer assignment so I don't think so."

"You guys have computer classes at the rez school," Vivi sat on the edge of Lili's bed to pull off her jeans.

Nika and Bailey shook their heads, Bailey smoothing the dress down over her hips as she pulled off her jeans by stepping on them.

"Brad has a tutor in Forks," Bailey stood still as Lili kneeled before her to pin up the long hem, "The guy's really cool and he's teaching Brad how to build his own computer."

"That's cool," Nika adjusted the wide neckline, looking over at the one Vivi was wearing, "These dresses are really nice, Lili."

"Mama helped me cut them out," Lili finished pining up Bailey's dress before moving over to Nika, pursing her lips as she gathered some of the excess fabric around the waistline, "I'm learning how to fix them and I'm still working on getting my stitching straight."

A knock at the door had all four look up as Emily stepped in, her face lighting up, "Very good, Lili…you three look very pretty."

Bailey wrinkled her nose, fidgeting in place as her mother smiled at her then looked at the rest, "Lunch is ready. Vivi, Nika, you're welcomed to stay and join us."

"Thank you, Aunt Emily," Nika answered for both of them, Vivi fidgeting at the dark scowl Bailey threw her way but didn't say anything as Lili pinned up the hem of her dress, the cowl neckline somehow disguising the fact she was as flat-chested as a boy.

"We'll finish your costume tonight, Lili," Emily said with a smile before closing the door behind her.

"What are you going to be," Nika asked as she carefully removed the dress, one of the pins poking her in the stomach.

"Pocahontas," Lili chirped, taking the dress from Nika as Bailey removed hers, "What about you?"

"I'm going as Princess Lea and Ian's gonna be Luke Skywalker," Nika pulled on her jeans, hopping around in one leg before managing to get her other leg in, "Patrick is going to be Chewbacca."

Bailey laughed –she couldn't help it, finding the image of four year old Patrick dressed as a Wookie highly humorous.

"What about you, Vivi," Lili took the brown dress from her sister, placing it on the table as Bailey pulled on her jeans, the white sports bra she wore contrasting against her russet skin.

Vivi shrugged, pulling on her top as soon as she took her dress off, "I'm not sure."

"She doesn't want to go."

Vivi turned wide eyes at Nika as Lili and Bailey looked at her in surprise.

"You love Halloween," Bailey reached up to redo her ponytail before picking up the long sleeve top from the floor where she had dropped it, "Why aren't you going?"

Vivi didn't say anything but Nika didn't stay quiet, "Susan Hopson."

Bailey's face darkened as she tugged the hem of her top over the waistband of her jeans, "She's a bitch."

"That's what I told Vivi."

Bailey studied Vivi's posture, certain she knew what Susan had said and although she herself didn't like Vivi, she felt it necessary to teach that bullying bitch a lesson, "I've got an idea but you'll have to come to the party."

Vivi zipped up her sweater, her gold-brown eyes widening as she looked across the room at the girl she had known from the moment she saw her would never be her friend, "An idea for what?"

The smile that spread across Bailey's face was downright disconcerting, "Payback."

* * *

_Tuesday, October 31__st__  
9:23 PM_

The three girls were in a corner of the community center, kids of all ages going from station to station, the loud noise of laughter, shrieks and screams echoing in the enclosed space.

They were laughing, all three leaning against the wall as Susan Hopson –dressed as Dorothy from Wizard of Oz –ran out the front doors, her friends following behind her.

"Did you see the look on her face," Bailey was having a hard time staying on her feet, arms wrapped around her stomach as she laughed, shiny black hair streaked bright blue, "Totally worth it!"

"Oh God," Nika wiped her hands over her cheeks, glad her mom had let her use the waterproof make-up she was only allowed to wear for ballet recitals, "I thought she was going to pass out!"

Vivi was the first to stop laughing, a twinge of guilt tugging at her heart as she bit her bottom lip, "I think she was going to cry."

Bailey took a big gulp of air, flipping her long hair over her shoulder as she wished she had brought a hair tie with her, "Don't you dare feel sorry for her. If the roles were reversed, she'd be laughing her ass off."

"Bailey's right," Nika reached up to tug at the neck of her white robe as she looked at Vivi with an arched eyebrow, "She needed to be taught a lesson."

Vivi nodded but she was still feeling a bit guilty although technically, the whole thing had been Bailey's idea.

"Well," Bailey shrugged, the leather jacket she wore as part of her costume a bit too big for her slight frame, "Had a great time bonding with you two but now I'm outta here."

They watched her take off, both wondering what exactly she was supposed to be.

The black boots had no shoelaces, black leggings under cutoff denim shorts, the black top she wore under the leather jacket ripped with a blue top underneath the exact color as her fingerless gloves and the streaks in her hair.

"Maybe she's supposed to be a rock star," Nika looked at Vivi with a one sided smile, "Although I don't know which one."

Vivi giggled, her long hair hanging in curls and braids down her back with colorful ribbons weaved throughout, "I think she looks really cool."

Nika laughed, taking her hand and pulling her towards the stand where the cotton candy was being made, "Gabriel hasn't stopped staring at you all night."

"It's the costume," Vivi was glad of the flashing lights filling the large space because her face was feeling hot, "He has a huge crush on her."

Nika grinned as she pointedly looked her best friend over, from the calf length black boots, dark blue jeans, a corset style top under a black suede jacket and ending on her carefully made up face and dangling silver earrings.

"You do make a very believable July Star."

* * *

_Saturday, November 13__th_

He had seven different colored strands and ten fingers. In his mind, that was just too many numbers involved and it wasn't giving him the results he wanted.

"Shit, shit, shit," he tried to keep the colors in the pattern Uncle Seth had taught him but the ends kept getting tangled, "Dammit!"

He kicked the side of the desk as Zak walked into the room they shared, his dark hair barely starting to lose the highlights from spending all summer out at the beach. Zak stood just inside the door, watching him struggle for a while before asking, "What's with you?"

"Damn thing keeps getting tangled," the words came out in a near growl, Zak's eyebrows rising as he watched him yanking at the tangled knot at the bottom.

"Tape the ends," Zak moved across the room towards his bed, which was up against the wall under the bedroom window, "Like shoelaces."

"Ah."

Sometimes, it frustrated him to live with two geniuses although Zak wasn't scary smart like Emmie.

Opening a drawer in search of scissors, he watched out of the corner of his eye as Zak flopped onto his bed, his attention on the graphic novel he'd bought on their last trip to the mall –if he wasn't doing homework or surfing, or playing with Tyra, he liked to read comic books.

Gabe liked sharing a room with Zak –he wasn't much of a talker and kept to himself. It had been a bit strange at first when they'd moved up to the second floor, leaving Andrey and Alyx behind in his old room for their parents to keep an eye on them but now, Gabe was very glad of the new arrangements.

He had wanted to ask why he couldn't have his own room –there was a spare room after all, right next to theirs –but hadn't, being mama was starting to look like she had a beach ball under her shirt so he knew there was going to be a new baby soon.

Of course, the only fair thing for his parents to do was have two of them so that no one had a room of their own.

He let out a frustrated huff, the damn tape getting twisted, "This is more work than I thought."

Zak lowered his comic book to look over the top at his brother, "What are you making?"

"An eternity bracelet," Gabe spread out the strands, taking a smaller piece of tape and using both hands to wrap it around the yellow strands, "Like the one mama made for dad."

Zak pursed his lips, watching Gabriel wrap the ends of the blue strands, "You're giving it to Vivi?"

Gabe nodded, taking another piece of tape to wrap the green strands, "For Christmas."

"Uh."

Zak went back to his comic book, flipping over to lay on his stomach as he toed off his Converse sneakers, a knock on the opened door having them look up, their dad leaning against the door frame, "What are you two up too?"

Zak held up his comic book but didn't say anything, just went back to where he had left off.

Rick chuckled, looking over at Gabe, his eyebrows lowering slightly, "Is that a nail on your desk?"

Gabe looked down at the nail he'd pounded halfway into the wood, the loop of threads hooked over it, "It's out of the way –we can still do our homework on it."

"Not that we do," Zak stated quietly -both he and Zak preferred doing their homework either on their bed or on the floor.

Zak flopped onto his back, stretching out his legs and crossing them at the ankles as he flipped a page –for a soon to be six year old, he was getting to be pretty tall.

"What did you use to hammer it in?"

Oh, this was probably going to get him into trouble, "My math book."

Rick closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead with the heel of his hand, "That's going to come out of your allowance."

He had expected that which was why he was doing this bracelet for Vivi instead of buying her something.

Rick tilted his head, finally noticing what Gabe was working on, "Is that an eternity bracelet?"

Gabe nodded, wiping his hands on his jeans before taking the strands to pick up on the pattern, "I'm making it for Vivi," he knotted the yellow all the way across, "It's gonna be her Christmas present."

"That's nice. Did Uncle Seth tell you the meaning behind that particular pattern?"

Gabe nodded again, concentrating as he weaved the blue threads under and over from one end to the other, "It means she belongs to me and when the other boys at school see it, they'll know she's mine."

He was concentrating so hard on what he was doing that he completely missed the look of shock on his father's face, Zak lowering his comic book to look at his brother, "Why don't you have her wear your name around her neck?"

Gabe pursed his lips in thought, Zak's sarcasm completely wasted on him.

"Oh God," Zak rolled his eyes, tossing his comic book on the bookcase beside the desk as he got off the bed, moving across the room and giving his dad a loaded look, "You need to talk to him."

Rick chuckled, tousling Zak's hair before the five year old walked out, leaving them alone, "Gabriel."

"Yeah?"

He moved into the room, sitting on Gabe's bed and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs, "We need to talk."

"I'm busy right now."

"Excuse me?"

Gabe winced, realizing he'd just gotten in trouble for being disrespectful; it was something Dad didn't tolerate at all.

"I'm sorry," he placed the strands on the desktop and turned around on his chair, "I'm listening."

"I hope so," Rick wasn't smiling, his blue eyes studying him to the point where he felt like squirming, "Tell me this. Why do you think your mother married me?"

"'Cause you asked her."

He fought back a smile, "That's right. Did you ask Vivi to marry you?"

Gabe tilted his head to the side, rubbing the toe of his sneaker against the edge of the rug, "I told her."

"Mhm," he gave a slow nod, linking his fingers between his knees, "You told her. Do you know why girls are special, Gabe?"

Gabe blinked, feeling somewhat confused as he tried to figure out where his father was going with that question, "'Cause they're pretty…and funny. Some of them are even smart."

Rick couldn't hold back a chuckle, shaking his head as he ran his fingers through his hair, "There is that but mostly it's because of how open their hearts are."

Gabe stared at him, blue eyes wide with obvious lack of understanding, "O-kay."

He watched his dad's smile, wondering what it was about it that made him realize this was very important and he really had to pay attention.

"See, a girl can love completely," he kept his eyes on Gabriel –yeah, he was only ten years old but he had to understand…for Vivi's sake, he just had too, "She isn't afraid to do so because her heart is free of any pain or disappointment. Then comes along the first boy that doesn't think before he speaks –he isn't careful with what he does. With words and actions, he can either win a girl's heart or he can damage it to the point of her closing up and keeping her heart hidden where it can never be found."

Gabe kept his eyes on his father, his arm draped across the back of the desk chair as Rick continued, "Before I came along, your mother was in love with someone else."

"What," Gabe was shocked to hear this –to him, mama and dad had always loved each other; they were made for each other…the very idea that mama could have loved anyone else, "Who?"

Rick's smile grew a little, "A boy she grew up with –he won her heart when she was all of fourteen years old…when she was eighteen, he gave it back to her in pieces. He hadn't planned on doing that but see…he made a lot of promises he wasn't able to keep. Promises she believed in because she loved him."

"You made it all okay, didn't you," Gabe's voice cracked slightly, the anxiety he was feeling making no sense to him, "When you met mama, you fixed it all…right?"

"I wish I could say that," his smile turned sad, "I wish I could tell you I made it all better for her…but I didn't. Instead, I took the pieces of her heart –which she worked so hard to put back together –and broke it all over again…into even smaller pieces."

"Why? Why would you do that?"

The accusation in Gabe's eyes resonated in his voice and it somehow dug deep into Rick's heart.

"Because all I could think about was what I wanted," he kept his eyes on Gabriel, his own face serious, "All I focused on is how I felt…what I needed –"

Gabe interrupted with a hint of disgust in his voice, "That was selfish."

"Right," he tilted his head, sandy blond hair falling over his forehead, "Now think about what you said concerning that bracelet. I know your uncle told you what it meant…and it's not at all what you want it for. If you give that bracelet to Vivi without understanding –truly understanding –the meaning behind it, you're setting yourself up to break her heart."

Gabe didn't say anything, staring at his shoes as he rubbed the shiny wood floor, deep in thought as Rick stood up and walked to the open door, "Dad."

"Yes?"

He didn't look up at his father, his voice soft, "Why did mama marry you?"

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile, "Because she loved me…she gave me a chance to find myself in her…her happiness became more important than mine and I did everything I could to show her…that's what's special about girls. Once they love you, they love you completely –always will. It's up to you to earn the right to have that love."

He watched Gabe, the ten year olds' eyes trained on the floor as he drew patterns with the toe of his sneaker. Without another word, he walked out of the room, heading down the hall towards the stairs that led downstairs, hoping some of his words had sunk into Gabe's head.

Staring at his sneaker as he wiggled his toes, he noticed the canvas of the Converse was wearing thin, making it possible to see his white sock through the black canvas.

A heavy sigh escaped him as he looked back at the bracelet…it wasn't even half finished and now, he wasn't even sure if he wanted to give it to Vivi –yet.

Fingering the threads, he thought of what his dad had said, realizing that despite having asked Uncle Seth how to make the bracelet, he hadn't heard anything beyond "belong to" when he'd explained the meaning of the pattern.

He had no doubt –Vivi was his through and through but if giving her this bracelet when he didn't remember what his uncle had said will somehow break her heart, he wasn't going to do it.

Pulling the loop off the nail, he opened the desk drawer and shoved it towards the back before closing it. Standing up, he shoved his hand into his pants' pocket, pulling out the marble, its silver star dancing and blinking as it caught the light.

Yep, Vivi was his –he was just going to have to find a different way to let the other boys know that.

* * *

_Saturday, November 30__th__  
2:53PM_

"It's about time you and I hung out together, uh," the smile he got was so much like Rose's he couldn't help grinning like an idiot, "Some guy time is what we needed, little man."

Carlos wiggled, giggling as Seth tickled his feet, sending the stuffed doggie in his hand flying over his head.

Seth laughed at the look of surprise in his son's hazel eyes, watching in awe as he turned his head in search of his favorite toy before arching his back and pushing with one foot, rolling over onto his tummy after a couple of failed tries.

"Look at you," Seth crowed with pride, pulling the plush toy within Carlos' reach, tiny fingers gripping one of its legs and moving it into his mouth to suck on it, Seth turning him onto his back on the soft blanket he had spread over the rug.

They were in his office where he was supposed to be working on his latest project while Carlos slept on his bouncy seat but as soon as the baby had blinked open his big hazel eyes, Seth had set aside his pencil and focused a hundred percent on the business at hand.

Quality play time with his little man.

"Think you can do it again," Seth made a funny face that had Carlos laughing, his entire body wiggling as he looked up at his father, lowering his stuffy long enough to give him a drooly smile, Seth able to see a tooth poking out of his gums, "You're getting a tooth, too? Dear God, what's next? A beard?"

Carlos flapped his arms as he kicked his legs, laughing as his stuffy took another flying trip across the floor.

This time, Carlos didn't have to struggle too much to flip over, his legs kicking as he pushed his torso up off the floor, tiny fingers splayed on the light blue blanket.

Seth laughed, pulling the plush toy to where he could reach it, the five month olds' eyes big as he studied the toy, looking down at his hands for some seconds before looking at the toy again.

Seth knew the moment Carlos made the decision to reach out for the toy, having seen that look of determination on Rose's face many times. As soon as his little fingers closed around the floppy fabric of the dog's body, his other arm gave out and he flopped down.

Seth chuckled as Carlos clamped down on the stuffy's nose, a pleased look in his eyes as his father turned him onto his back again.

The sound of a door opening and closing caught his attention but he didn't move from the floor, lifting the tiny t-shirt to blow a raspberry against the round tummy, giggles erupting as a familiar voiced called out, "Uncle Seth?"

"In the office," Seth laughed as Carlos sent his stuffy flying again, the plush toy sliding to a stop against Gabe's shoes, "Hey Tornado! Haven't seen you in a long time."

Gabe grinned as he picked up the plush dog, "That's a pretty good throw –he'll make a good quarterback."

Seth laughed, Gabe moving to kneel next to Carlos, holding the toy just out of reach as Carlos strained to reach for it, a good couple of minutes passing before he let out a shriek of frustration.

Gabe lowered the toy, Carlos yanking it away with both hands, his hazel eyes dancing as he gnawed on one of its ears.

"He's rolling over, has a tooth poking out," Seth moved to sit cross-legged, grinning as Gabe tried to take the toy away which resulted in a tug of war between the cousins, "I think in a week or two, he should be able to play football."

Gabe grinned at the teasing tone in his uncle's voice, looking over at him with dancing blue eyes, "Maybe we can play Gabe-football with him."

"And maybe your Aunt Rose can kill me."

They both laughed, Carlos gleefully joining in as he yanked his stuffy out of Gabe's hand thus winning the tug-o-war.

"So how's school going?"

Gabe wrinkled his nose, pulling up a knee to rest his arm on it, "I got a ninety-two on my math test."

"That's good!"

"Vivi says I can do better."

The deadpan voice Gabe used had him laughing, "She's probably right although a ninety-two ain't bad."

Gabe shrugged, pulling at his frayed laces as Carlos sent the plushy flying again, arching his back and pushing with his foot, neatly rolling over onto his tummy, "I suppose."

Seth could see something was bothering Gabe but he didn't push, letting the boy take his time to decide if he wanted to confide in him.

Leaning over Carlos, he placed a kiss on the top of his head, the dark hair covering it silky soft to the touch. Carlos let out a squeal as Seth pulled the toy within reach, tiny fingers gripping the soft fabric as he attacked the dog's face with open mouthed exuberance.

They both laughed, the ten year old reaching up to ruffle his shaggy hair, "Did you know mama used to be in love with someone other than dad?"

Seth's eyebrow rose in surprise as he turned Carlos onto his back again, "Yeah…I was seven when they started dating."

Gabe nodded, biting his bottom lip as he watched Carlos arch his back to roll over again, "Who was he?"

Seth stretched out his long legs, keeping himself propped on one hand as he tickled Carlos' feet, the baby kicking as he giggled, "Why do you want to know? It's all water under the bridge now."

Gabe gnawed on his lip, dropping his eyes to his sneaker as he poked at the hole on the outside edge. He really needed new shoes but he'd just broken these in.

"Dad told me that girls are special because they have open hearts."

Seth gave a thoughtful nod in agreement, "Among many other things, yeah."

"I just…" Gabe let out a heavy breath, finally looking into his uncle's eyes, similar in shape and color to his mama's, "I'm scared of breaking Vivi's heart."

A soft chuckle escaped him, shaking his head as he looked down at his son, asleep on his tummy, the plush dog tucked securely under one small arm, "You need to stop that or you'll do exactly what you don't want to do."

Gabe gave him a look of confusion, "Uh?"

"You're ten years old, Gabe," Seth looked into his nephew's eyes, "You shouldn't worry about breaking her heart, you should worry about winning it."

Gabe's dark brows lowered over his blue eyes, "She's already mine."

Seth shook his head, "No, she's not."

"She chose me," Gabe insisted, anger showing in his eyes, "That day at the toy store, she chose me. She's mine."

Seth shook his head again, wondering how the hell a ten year old could be this possessive –then again, with the way he'd been with Leah as a baby, it shouldn't come as a surprise, "She may have chosen you to give you her heart –precious and beautiful –but she can just as easily take it away. After all, it is hers."

"Why would she take it away?"

"Because you won't treat it for what it is –a treasured gift. Because you won't honor it –or her –by being the best man you can be. Because you take it for granted, thinking it's always going to be there no matter what you say or do. Because you won't guard it against outside forces that might damage it."

He could see that Gabe was trying to understand but at his age, he couldn't directly connect consequences and actions.

"You know what," Seth reached out to gently cuff him on the chin, "We'll have this conversation again when you're older. Deal?"

He nodded, "Deal."

Getting to his feet, he headed out the door, coming back a second later, "Will you teach me to dance?"

Seth blinked in surprise, "Where'd that come from?"

"There's gonna be a Christmas dance on the last week of school –just for the six graders," Gabe could feel himself getting hot with embarrassment, "I want to ask Vivi to dance but I don't want to look stupid."

Seth swallowed back the urge to laugh, not wanting to wake Carlos up or hurt his nephew's feelings, "Let me just put Carlos in his crib and we'll go to the living room."

"Cool."

"Yep. After I'm done with you, you'll be one smooth dancer."

"…oh boy…"

* * *

_Friday, December 16__th__  
5:23PM_

The music was louder than it should have been due to the lack of conversation. There were three six grade classes in the upper Forks Elementary, about an equal amount of boys and girls which at the moment were on separate sides of the gymnasium.

The teachers had done an exceptional job at decorating, white lights strung along the walls with silver tinsel hanging from them. There was a ten foot Christmas tree in one corner with a table nearby where they were serving hot chocolate and cookies.

None of it, however, was being enjoyed due to their prepubescent students keeping the expanse of gym floor between them, boys on one side and girls on the other. It was going to take the courage of one to get the party started before it was over.

Gabe was leaning against the wall, Kevin on one side, Ray on the other. They were chattering about some video game but he wasn't paying attention, was too busy staring across the great divide to do much than give the occasional nod.

No, what held his attention had nothing to do with high scores and leveling up –it was much more simple and complicated than that. She looked beautiful with her long red-gold hair falling down her back in curls, a brown headband keeping it off her face.

She was wearing a white sweater with a brown skirt and brown boots but he didn't really care about the clothes –not when she kept looking his way with that shy smile that made his heartbeat fast, just the way it did whenever he was racing his bike.

"You're gonna do it, aren't you?"

Gabe blinked as he turned his attention to Kevin, "What?"

Kevin jerked his chin towards Vivi, Ray snickering, "You're staring at Vivi…you want to dance with her don't you?"

"Gabe has a crush on Vivi."

Gabe's face flushed as he pushed Ray, some of the other boys having heard him, "Shut up."

"He won't do it," Robbie taunted him, moving to stand next to Kevin, "He doesn't have the guts."

"Is that right, Gabe," Kevin grinned at the flushed look on Gabe's face, "Are you too much of a pansy to ask a girl to dance?"

Gabe wanted to punch Kevin in the face even though he thought of him as a friend but instead, he shoved him to the side, "You're the pansies."

He walked away from them, their laughter following him as he walked across the gym floor. His hands were sweating and he was pretty sure he was going to pass out but he had something to prove so there was no way he was backing out now.

Vivi bit her lip, Beth –her Forks best friend –giggling as she tugged at her arm, "Don't look at him."

Vivi looked into Beth's green eyes in surprise, "Why not?"

"Because you don't want him to know you like him."

Vivi's eyebrows lowered over gold-brown eyes in confusion, "But he already knows I like him."

"And that's why he acts like he does," Beth watched out of the corner of her eye as Gabe passed the halfway point, "Because he knows you'll forgive him but my big sister says when it comes to boys, you gotta keep them guessing."

Vivi frowned, reaching up to push her hair over her shoulder, "I don't like playing games."

"Yeah, well –oh no!"

"What?"

"Don't look!"

That, of course, had the opposite result, Vivi watching in wide eyed disbelief as Megan –pretty, blond and a total bitch –cut into Gabe's path, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the middle of the "dance" floor.

Beth wanted to say something to make Vivi feel better but she couldn't think of anything off the top of her head as they watched Gabe look over his shoulder towards them before turning his attention back to Megan, placing his hands on her waist as she put hers on his shoulders.

By then, all Beth could do was toss one last glare at them –they were quickly disappearing into the mingling crowd of six graders –before rushing after Vivi, the door leading into the girls' locker room swinging shut behind her.

A shiver ran up her back as she walked past the rows of lockers, the light from the back of the room making it possible for her to see, the echo of Vivi's sobs giving the entire scene a creepy feeling. The open bathroom plan had five toilet stalls on one side with five sinks across, the five shower stalls on the other side of the dividing wall.

Leaning down to check the stalls, she knocked on the third one, "Vivi."

"Go away."

"Come on, Vivi. I'm your best friend. Talk to me."

The stall door swung open, Vivi's eyes red-rimmed as she moved across the floor towards the sinks, "Why would he dance with her?"

Beth moved to pull herself onto the counter-top and crossed her ankles, "She didn't exactly give him a choice."

"He could have said no."

"That would have been rude," Beth picked a piece of lint off her pink jeans, flicking it aside, "Gabe may be a jerk at times but he's not rude."

Vivi held her hands under the cold running water, sniffing back the tears as she watched it fill her cupped hands to overflowing, "Wish he had been."

Beth jumped off the counter, "I've got an idea. Wash your face, put on a smile then go out there and ask Ray to dance with you."

She looked up from splashing the cold water onto her face, "Why Ray?"

"He has a crush on you."

"He called me a nerd."

Beth rolled her eyes, swiping her caramel brown bangs out of her eyes, "That was in second grade."

Vivi shut the water off, taking paper towels from the dispenser and blotting her face dry, "He never talks to me."

"Because he's afraid of your brother."

This time it was Vivi who rolled her eyes as she tossed the wet towels into the trashcan, "Every boy I come into contact with is afraid of my brother."

"Except for Gabriel."

Vivi nodded, looking at her reflection as she softly murmured, "Except for Gabriel."

Beth was right –she needed to go back out there and smile…and never, ever let him see he made her cry.


	46. Chapter 44

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Emmie, 7yrs old/fourth grade: Bailey, 12yrs old/seventh grade: Brad, 12yrs old/seventh grade: Marc, 11yrs old/seventh grade and as always, Gabe's age is next to the chapter and he's in sixth grade.  
**

**I am sorry it took me so long to update the last time: work piled on me, then friend obligations and followed by a sinus infection...not cool. Anyway, enjoy what you read, and don't forget to review! That goes for everyone!  
**

**Chapter Forty-Four (10yrs old)  
**_December 20__th_

"I need your help."

Emmie looked up from her pin board where she had been working on her butterfly display, pushing her glasses up her nose as she gave her older brother a quizzical look, "With what?"

Gabe shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he hunched his shoulders, "I don't know what to give Vivi for Christmas."

Emmie's eyes looked bigger than they normally would thanks to those glasses, "Christmas is four days away!"

"That's Christmas Eve," Gabe corrected her, his dark hair falling over his forehead; "We have five days 'til Christmas morning. That gives me an extra day."

Dark eyebrows arched above the black rims of her glasses, "You need to work on your math."

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"Mhm," Emmie tapped a finger to her chin for a few seconds before giving him a big smile, "Okay but you're going to owe me one."

He swallowed back a groan as he moved into her room, sitting on the edge of her neatly made bed due to Tyra's being much smaller and taken over by stuffed animals, "Fine, I'll owe you one. So what do I give her?"

"What do all girls like?"

Gabe's eyebrows lowered in thought, "Uh…"

Emmie let out a sigh of suffering as she spun her chair around to face him, "Flowers! What's Vivi's favorite flower?"

Gabe grinned because he knew the answer to that one, "Daisies."

"Ah, _bellis perennis,_" Emmie hopped off her chair, missing Gabe's struggle to keep from laughing –_perennis_ was one funny word, "You can make her a collage of pressed flowers."

Gabe watched her as she pulled her flower press from one of the low shelves in her closet to set it on the table before looking at him in time to catch that 'duh' look he'd perfected long ago, "It's the middle of December –where am I going to find flowers to press?"

Emmie wrinkled her nose at him, "For your information, there are many flowers that grow well into the winter, including daisies, but if you're too impatient, you can use some from my collection –under one condition."

He dropped his chin to rest against his chest with a groan, wondering how the hell he'd ended up with a seven year old sister that knew how to bargain, "What?"

"You go flower picking with me when the summer comes."

His eyes snapped up to give her a look of horror, "Flower picking? Me?"

Emmie gave a nod, her mouth pursed to keep from laughing –she did enjoy teasing her big brother, "You'll hold my basket for me."

"A basket," Gabe's blue eyes grew wider, "Why not a box…or a brown paper bag?"

"They take the moisture out of flowers, causing them to wilt and lose their color so it has to be a basket."

He fell back onto her bed, eyes closed as he realized if his friends from school –hell, if Marc and Brad, as well as Bailey –ever found out he went _flower picking with a fucking basket_, they were going to be merciless…bastards won't let him forget it.

Was it worth it?

He was still pissed at Vivi and the way she'd acted at that stupid dance. Fuck, the only reason he even bothered to ask Uncle Seth to teach him to dance was so he could dance with her but she acted like it had been his fault that airhead Megan got in his way.

He'd tried looking for her after that but couldn't find her and when he finally saw her, she was dancing with Ray –fucking Ray of all people!

They never got to dance with each other and to be honest, he had been so damn mad seeing her dance with all his friends to even bother approaching her at all. His mama had picked them up and they'd spent the entire ride back to La Push in complete silence, neither one looking at the other.

Should he even bother?

"Fine," he growled under his breath, sitting up as he gave her a glare that only seemed to make her smile widened, "I'll go…_flower picking_ with you."

She couldn't hold back the giggle, going back into her closet before returning with a shoebox decorated with pieces of fabric and colorful ribbons courtesy of her cousin Lili, "You can look through the ones here. There's construction paper on the second drawer of my desk and you can find the glue in the first drawer."

Picking out a piece of white paper, he closed the drawer before opening the first one and pulling out a bottle of Elmer's glue. Moving across the room to stand at the table, he set the paper and glue down, removing the lid to the shoebox, his eyebrow arching in surprise.

There were dozens of plastic baggies containing flowers, each neatly labeled with the common and scientific names of their contents.

Sifting through the bags, he found one holding several white daisies, the yellow centers bright despite them being pressed and dried. Setting it aside, he searched through the rest, pulling out some black-eyed Susans (_rudbeckia hirta_), blue periwinkles (_vinca minor_), purple violets (_viola odorata_), and pink pansies (_viola tricolor hortensis_).

He looked at the five bags he'd pulled out, each one containing at least five flowers. Turning the paper sideways, he took the glue bottle and twisted the top open as he looked over at his sister, watching her open the lid of a small jar and carefully tip a dried butterfly out into her hand, "What are you doing?"

Emmie set the jar on the table, the nearly transparent blue butterfly resting in the middle of her open hand, "Working on my butterfly display. This is a _glaucopsyche lygdamus_…Appalachian Blue. They're mostly up in Canada but occasionally migrate down to the northern States like Washington, Idaho and Montana. This one's a male."

He watched her place it on an eight by eight piece of smooth foam board, her little fingers sifting through the silver pins in the small tin box between them, "How do you know it's male?"

"The females aren't as colorful," she made sure it was positioned exactly centered above the label of its name, handling it by its edges so she wouldn't rub off any of the colorful scales, "The males have more color because they have to attract females. Did you know that butterflies don't have mouths?"

Gabe stared at her as she concentrated on what she was doing, "How do they eat?"

"Well, they have this body part that's like a straw –it's called a proboscis. The coolest thing is, though, that they have tiny taste sensors on their feet."

"So it would be like us walking with our tongues?"

Emmie laughed, reaching up to push her glasses up her nose as she gave him a big smile, "Exactly! Another cool thing –butterflies don't poop."

This time, Gabe was the one laughing, turning his attention back to his own project as he fingered the corner of the bag holding the black-eyed Susans, "A collage of flowers seems kinda…simple."

Emmie looked over at him, frowning for a few seconds before an idea came to her, "You can make it into a picture frame! Glue the flowers around the border. Aunt Rose may have a picture of you two together and Daddy can help you make a frame out of wood -he might even have some glass left over from making Aunt Rose's windows."

Gabe tilted his head to the side, biting the inside of his cheek for a few seconds, "That does sound better. Yeah, that could definitely work. Good idea Em!"

"I know," she nodded as she slipped a needle into the middle of the butterfly's thorax, "Especially since you only have four days."

"Five."

Looking up at him, she cocked her head to the side as she gave him a look of pure exasperation, "You really need to work on your math."

* * *

_December 28__th_

_Dear Diary,  
It's been an eventful year…and now it's almost over._

_I've been writing in you every day and I'm going to run out of pages soon –Tio Seth promised me a new diary for Christmas, just like last year and the one before that…I guess it's becoming a tradition of sorts._

_I don't know –I guess it helps me think stuff through when I write in you…I can read back on things and see it from a different perspective…maybe even understand what it is that's confusing me so much._

_Right now –I don't know. I guess it's just that growing up seems too complicated. Things were simpler back when all I had to worry about was Marc seeing Gabriel touch my hand._

_Back then, it seemed to be the biggest hurdle because Marc just plain didn't like Gabriel –now, he doesn't like him but only whenever he's too close to me which doesn't happen as often as it used too._

_Why does it seem so complicated? We're only ten years old and it's like the biggest thing hanging over my head…is it gonna get worse?_

_I'm still feeling hurt about what happened at the school dance. He never did ask me to dance just kept looking at me with angry eyes while I did my best to pretend I was having fun. I told Nika about it and she tried to get me to talk to him because it seemed like he was planning on asking me to dance before Megan got in his way but Beth says I can't let him know how much it hurt me._

_I don't understand why I can't tell him the truth –I like him so much…and some of the things he does hurt me –and make me mad._

_It's not just Beth telling me to keep it to myself –something inside me just won't let me show him the truth…_

_How much he matters to me._

_I guess, in a way, I'm hoping he'll figure it out himself…_

_I think he may have, to some extent, understood the way I felt that night because he gave me a really great Christmas gift –one he made himself._

_Well, sort of. It's sitting on my desk right now and I can't help looking at it –he said his dad helped him make the frame and that Emmie let him have some of her pressed flowers…and I know Tia Rosa gave him the picture of us._

_I still remember the day she took that picture –it snowed on Thanksgiving Day and we were all playing outside. Nika and I were making snow angels with Tyra and Gabriel came over to watch._

_He helped me up, held my hand and told me I made a really pretty angel…then Marc hit him square in the back of the head with a snowball and he took off after him._

_Its little moments like that…such brief yet wonderful moments that make my heart beat so fast it's almost like I'm falling and falling without any possibility of hitting bottom._

Vivi put down her pen, letting out a soft sigh as she looked at the picture –Tia had developed it in black and white, the whole thing standing out against the background of bright colored flowers. Touching a finger to the glass, she smiled as she traced the petals of a daisy, wondering if he had used them along with the others because he knew it was her favorite or because they were available.

Looking at the opposite corner of her desk where her alarm clock was, she wrinkled her nose at the time, closing the diary and placing it into her desk drawer before getting out of her chair, already dressed in her purple plaid pajamas.

As soon as the room's light was off –her bedside lamp with its beautiful rainbow hued glass base casting a soft glow over her bed –she climbed under the covers, her long hair in its customary braid coiling on her pillow as she settled her head into it.

She stared up at the ceiling, one minute bleeding into the next as she wondered what Gabriel was doing…being it was so late into the night, he was probably already asleep, maybe even dreaming…

Tossing the sheets aside, she got out of bed, moving across the soft plush rug that covered the warm wooden floor of her room to climb into the window seat, pulling Emmett into her arms as she looked out the window at the moon hanging high above the sky, wondering if he was dreaming of her…

* * *

_February 23__rd__  
No Moon Night_

_Seattle, Washington  
_

The back of his fingers brushed over her bare shoulders, a shiver running down her back as he set her coat in place, chuckling softly as he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck, his words hot against her skin, "You look so beautiful tonight."

Looking over her shoulder with glittering brown-green eyes, she gave him a soft smile full of seductive promises, "You're only saying that to get laid."

Rick laughed, placing his hand on the small of her back as they made their way towards the restaurant's exit, "Well, baby, I do hope to get rewarded for stating the truth."

Leah laughed, the dangling diamonds on her ears –a birthday gift from her wonderful husband –dancing as they caught the lights and turned them into rainbows, "You were already going to get rewarded for such an amazing birthday."

Rick chuckled, looking out to see it was raining quite hard. Turning to smile at his wife, he took the sides of her coat, pulling them over her round stomach, hiding the strapless black dress she wore, the diamond necklace around her neck a match to her earrings, "Wait for me here, _agape mou._ I'll pull the car around and get the umbrella from the backseat."

Leah smiled into his blue eyes, reaching up to cup his jaw as she pressed her lips against his, a shudder wracking her body as he smoothed his hands down the sides of her stomach, "Okay."

Moving to the side, she watched him step outside, drawing his black coat close as he ran around the corner of the restaurant towards the back parking lot where they had parked. Letting out a sigh, she looked to the inside of the restaurant, watching as people walked about, the smell of food lingering in the air as conversations melded together.

Looking at her watch, she felt a shiver of nervousness run through her, looking out into the street before pushing the door and stepping outside, the overhang keeping the rain from reaching her. Stepping to the side, she looked down the street beside the restaurant, able to see yellow headlights slowly inching up the street, the rain falling harder.

"Give me your purse."

Leah frowned, stepping forward before turning around, eyes settling on the guy –about three inches shorter so that meant he was her height since she was wearing heels, he had a dark blue sweater with the hood pulled over his head and she could smell the body odor coming off of him, "Excuse me?"

"Give me your purse," his dark eyes shifted around nervously, his hands in the pockets of his sweater, "And those earrings."

Seriously? He was actually mugging an obviously pregnant woman?

"No."

His eyes snapped to her in surprise, "I have a knife."

She lifted her shoulder in a dismissive gesture, "I don't care. You have got to be seriously desperate to mug a pregnant woman."

"Look, lady," he growled, shifting his weight as he moved closer, Leah staying put despite the unpleasant odor, "I don't want to hurt you but I will if you don't listen so just shut up and give me your fucking purse and earrings."

She saw the familiar color of their car out of the corner of her eye pulling around the corner but didn't turn towards it as she cocked an eyebrow at the mugger, "You're the one that's going to seriously get hurt if you don't turn around and walk away."

"You uppity bitch."

She got a brief glimpse of the knife he pulled out of his sweater's pocket right before an arm wrapped around his neck from behind, a large hand clamping on his wrist and squeezing until the knife clattered onto the sidewalk, "I really do not appreciate having you pull a knife on my wife or calling her a bitch."

The guy gasped, a squeak escaping him that Leah was certain to be an apology but Rick was putting enough pressure on his throat to keep him from getting any oxygen.

He pulled at Rick's arm with his free hand to no avail, his face starting to turn an alarming shade of purple before Rick shoved him to the side, "Get the hell out of here."

Without looking back, the guy ran across the street, narrowly missed getting hit by a passing car as Rick stood where he was, watching him until the scruffy guy disappeared into the dark rain.

Leah could feel the heat settling deep in her belly, biting her lip to keep from letting out a moan –God, it always turned her on when he got all Alpha on her behalf.

She stepped towards him but halted when he turned heated blue eyes towards her, the muscle in his jaw ticking visibly, "Why didn't you give him what he wanted?"

"What," Leah's eyebrows lowered, a little slow in realizing he was angry at her, "I knew you weren't going to let him hurt me."

"And if I hadn't gotten here in time?"

Leah shrugged, finally catching on to the tightness in his voice but not understanding why he would be mad –he knew very well she could protect herself just fine, "I would have taken him on."

Rick took a deep breath through his nose in an attempt to tamp down the rising anger but it didn't work, "_Gami̱méno skatá, Leah! Eísai októ̱ mi̱nó̱n énkyos, tha prépei na skefteíte prin energí̱sete_!" ***Fucking shit, Leah! You're eight months pregnant –you need to think before you act!***

Leah bristled, not understanding a word he'd said but knowing from the tone of his voice it wasn't good, "I can take care of myself just fine –and there was no way in hell he was going to get my earrings when you just gave them to me this morning."

He grabbed her by the shoulders, growling just before he slammed his mouth over hers, "The earrings I can replace."

Leah pushed her body into him, fingers holding on tight to the lapels of his coat as she responded to his heated kiss with the same degree of fire and need –desperate need as her disbelief over the whole situation melted, leaving her trembling in his arms as the danger she had been in crashed over her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in a broken sob as he moved his mouth down her throat, moving her hands to hold on to his broad shoulders as he curved his body against hers, "Oh God, Rick, I'm so sorry…I wasn't thinking…that was so stupid –"

"Shh," Rick placed a line of wet kisses along her jaw before sucking her bottom lip into his mouth, biting it softly then releasing it, "It's okay, baby…I'll never let anything hurt you."

She nodded, a strand of hair slipping lose from the up-do it was in, "I know –he could have hurt our baby because of –"

He didn't shush her again, simply covered her mouth with his, tongues delving into the deep recesses of mouths, his hands moving down her back to squeeze her hips before moving them to the sides of her round stomach.

A clearing of a throat then an amused voice broke into their bubble, "Excuse me?"

Regret welled up as he broke the kiss, sliding his fingers up her back and into her hair as she buried her face into his neck, his blue eyes moving to the police officer standing a couple of feet from them, the rain a drizzle now.

"The valet saw what happened –the concierge called us," the officer –Rick's eyes flicked to the name plate above the breast pocket, "We need you to come to the station to file a report."

Rick jerked his head in a nod, his arms still tight around Leah as he nudged the knife with the toe of his shoe, "He dropped his knife."

Officer Reseda cleared his throat as he bent to pick up the knife, "Hopefully his prints are still on it. Would you like to ride with me or drive yourselves?"

Rick shook his head, rubbing soothing circles on Leah's back, "We'll drive there."

The police officer nodded, writing down their names and basic information before he moved towards his cruiser, the lights flashing as a crowd began to gather.

"This is not how I wanted our night to end," Rick muttered as he led his wife towards their car, the cruiser still in place behind them –looked like Officer Reseda was going to be escorting them to the station.

"Wasn't exactly planning on it either."

Chuckling, he gave her a soft kiss, opening the passenger door and holding her hand to steady her as she climbed in, the coat she wore opening to reveal the black skirt of her dress riding up her long legs, "I should have made dinner at home."

Leah laughed at him, the fear that had crowded in on her now dissipating as she reached up to grab a fistful of his coat and pull him down, pressing a sweet wet kiss against his mouth before she whispered, "When we get home…we'll pretend this never happened."

By the time they got home, Leah was dead on her feet, her protest weak as Rick swept her up into his arms soon after helping her out of the car.

It wouldn't have been easy to make the trip up their driveway to the back of the house with a five foot nine inches and eight months pregnant woman in his arms had he not been one to keep in shape, his strong arms secure around her.

Reaching the back door, he turned the knob –nobody in La Push locked their back doors –and stepped into the dark kitchen, Leah's head resting on his shoulder, the soft puffs of warm air against his neck letting him know she was asleep.

Once in their bedroom, he gently laid her on their bed, removing her three inch heels, his thumbs rubbing the soles of her feet pulling a soft moan from her as she snuggled into her pillow. Smiling, he patiently and efficiently undressed her, leaving her in silk boy-cut panties and nothing else, only struggling when he had to pull the covers from under her.

Kissing her forehead, he tucked the sheet and comforter around her shoulders, taking her clothes and draping them over the back of her vanity chair before undressing himself, pulling on a pair of comfortable lounge pants then climbing into bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her as soon as she rolled into him.

Closing his eyes, he pressed his lips against her forehead, the citrus mint scent of her shampoo making his senses hum but he was just as content holding her while she slept as he would have been making love to her.

There was the morning, after all…

* * *

_Sunday, March 1__st_

"So they're not letting you boycott your birthday this year, uh?"

"Nope," Marc's voice still had a tinge of anger in it as he moved his pedals back and forth, using his front brakes and keeping the handlebars at an angle so he could just stay on his bike without moving his feet from the pedals, "Uncle Seth says it'll be a great party and I'll forget all about the fact that I hate my birthday."

Bailey nodded, wiping the excess grease from her bike chain before shoving the rag into the back pocket of her jeans. They were in the parking lot of Forks High School being it was Sunday so there was plenty of space for them to work on their bike tricks but Gabe and Brad were still missing, "How old are you gonna be?"

This was why Uncle Seth and Tia Rosa had insisted on a stupid party –because it would make it easier to jump right into, "Thirteen."

"Seriously," Bailey shoved the kickstand back before pushing off with one foot, the other already in the pedal, "You're older than me?"

"Yep," Marc turned in a tight circle, widening slightly with every turn until he had enough speed to pull his handle bars up, locking his back brakes and standing on the pedals, the sun casting a long shadow of him and his bike across the asphalt –a perfect wheelie, "Just some months. You're gonna be thirteen this year, right?"

Bailey nodded, slowly turning her bike into figure eights as she caught sight of Brad and Gabe making their way towards them, "In July. Having a summer birthday means we're younger than everyone else in our class for the entire school year."

"I am too except for the last three months."

"So are they like double teaming your parties," Bailey pulled her handlebars, barely getting off the asphalt before she landed again –she was still having trouble with the wheelie and it ticked her off, "You and your sister's?"

"Vivi said she just wants a sleepover with Nika," Marc spun his pedals backwards, kicking up a small spray of loose gravel, "So the party's all mine...like I care. You need to lock your back brakes at the same time that you pull the handlebars. It'll work even better if you stand and lean back."

Bailey did as he said but with a little more enthusiasm than necessary, jumping and landing on her feet as the bike flipped back, "Shit!"

Marc chuckled as Gabe and Brad reached them, both of them sporting big grins, "What took you two so long?"

"Nothing, really," Gabe slid to a stop, dropping his feet to the ground, "Just got to talking with Uncle Sam."

"Ah, fuck," Bailey pushed off the ground, swinging her leg over the back wheel and settling back onto the seat of her bike, "Is he reinstating the ban to include weekends?"

Brad laughed, rocking back onto his heels, the front of his bike turning sideways since he didn't have a hold on his handlebars. Saving himself from falling on his ass, he grabbed the handlebars and straightened his bike, "No but I'm sure he was thinking about it after agreeing to Gabe's request."

"Which was?"

"Uncle Sam is going to let us use one of the trails –just one of them –in the forest so we can race our bikes."

"One trail?"

"Yup."

They all looked at each other, their grins wider than their eyes as they thought of the possibilities…oh, they were endless…


	47. Chapter 45

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Bailey, 12yrs/seventh grade: Brad, 12yrs/seventh grade: Marc, 13yrs/seventh grade: Vivi, 10yrs/sixth grade: Carlos, 9months**

**Chapter Forty-Five (10 yrs old)  
**_**Port Angeles BMX Track**_

_Friday, March 6__th_

The rushing wind was cold, biting the tip of his nose and chapping his face but he didn't care, keeping himself focused as he pedaled harder up the bumpy hill, able to see out of the corner of his eye that he had two others hot on his heels.

For sure, one of them was Gabriel but the other could be either Bailey or one of his classmates –they'd been told to bring their bikes in the invitations Tia Rosa had send out two weeks ago for the coolest party of the century.

He had no desire to break his concentration by looking over his shoulder just to see who was eating his dust especially due to the wicked looking drop coming fast as he turned a sharp corner.

His stomach dropped as he went airborne for a few seconds, his jaw tight as he lifted off the seat just as he landed, the impact practically vibrating his bones but he kept his bike moving forward.

The hard packed dirt track softened slightly, slowing him down significantly as he pushed harder, the others catching up to him.

By the time he got out of the damn sand trap, he was at least a yard behind Gabriel, neck to neck with Bailey. The cheers of the crow –all friends from school along with their parents –in the stands started getting louder, the finish line far into the horizon quickly getting closer.

Shifting into second gear, he leaned over his handlebars, his legs pumping as he pushed hard to leave Bailey behind –there was no way he was coming in after a girl.

The checkered flag was a blur, his lungs burning as he panted for air, slowing down as the top four times were called out through the overhead system, the cheers from the crowd keeping his adrenaline pumping as he came to a stop.

His legs felt like rubber and he had to spread them with feet flat on the ground as he sat back on his seat, working on catching his breath as Gabriel made his way towards him, walking his own bike beside him.

They'd been forced to wear helmets so it was no surprise that Gabe's dark hair was plastered to his forehead, the dark blue helmet hanging off the handlebar by its strap as he called out with a big grin on his face, "Five seconds behind me –you were practically on my back."

Marc laughed, undoing the buckle under his chin and removing the black helmet as he shoot out his damp hair, "Served you right –you were pushing me halfway through the race."

Gabe snickered, the other riders heading to the concession stand where everything from hot dogs to popcorn were being served, "Couldn't let you win or everyone would think the race was rigged what with it being your party and all."

"Sure, sure," Marc finally got off his bike, moving towards the fence that separated the stands from the track and leaning it beside Gabe's, looking over his shoulder as Bailey approached them with her own bike in tow, "Now we get to find out what the prizes are –did you come in third?"

"No. I did."

Turning around, he was surprised as a girl from his art class –he was almost certain her name was Robyn –approached them, her dark blond hair tied into low pigtails, pretty blue-gray eyes sparkling as she smiled at him.

"Really," he gave her a smile as Bailey stopped to stand beside Gabe, flicking his eyes towards her before turning his attention back to his school mate, "I thought Bailey was right behind me."

"Yeah, no," Brad joined them, a can of soda in one hand, the other in a cast –he'd had a bit of an altercation attempting to do a front wheel stoppie last weekend, "The sand trap slowed her down some. She fell behind with the last hump."

Bailey scowled at her brother, reaching up to swipe her long bangs off her forehead, "Just three seconds."

"You took the edge," Robyn gave her a friendly smile that wasn't returned, "It's easier to go over the hump in the middle."

Gabe grinned as he tilted his chin at her, "Exactly what I did –you race much?"

She shrugged, her smile a bit shy as she looked at Marc out of the corner of her eye, answering Gabe's question, "My brothers are into it so I kind of tag along on the weekends."

"That's cool," Marc tousled his drying hair to keep it from looking flat, moving towards the center of the track as Uncle Seth called out for the top four winners, "Time to claim our prizes."

"I gotta say," Robyn kept step beside him, Gabe and Bailey following behind as Brad tagged along even though he didn't race –his mama had forbidden it, "This is the coolest birthday party I've ever been too –my brothers were seriously jealous when I told them where it was going to be."

March chuckled, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he gave a shrug, "Yeah…I don't really like birthday parties but this one's been beyond awesome –especially since my aunt got me the motorized dirt bike I've been wanting. I'm hoping she'll let me compete in the Northwest Cup Series next year."

"My brother Jay competed last year," her smile widened as she gave an excited skip, "He said the Dry Hill track is wicked hard –lots of big jumps."

"Ah man."

They both laughed at the wistful tone to his words, Marc stopping beside Uncle Seth as he called out the times, handing out cash prizes –a hundred dollars for Gabe, seventy-five for Marc, fifty for Robyn and twenty-five for Bailey.

Definitely the best birthday party ever –heck, he wasn't minding it so much especially since Tia Rosa promised there would be no singing of 'Happy Birthday.'

Stuffing his money into the pocket of his jeans, he looked up as Robyn moved away, giving him a shy smile and an equally shy wave, "I'll see you later."

"Sure," Marc watched her walk away, calling out to her as he thought of something, "Hey!"

She spun around to face him, her eyes wide as she tilted hr head slightly to the side, "Yeah?"

"My cousins and I," he jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards Gabe, Brad and Bailey so she'd know who he was referring too, "We like to race in the woods around La Push on the weekends –you should join us."

Gabe and Brad nodded with idiotic smiles on their faces, Bailey simply crossing her arms over her chest as she scowled at her over Marc's shoulder.

Keeping her eyes on Marc, Robyn let a few seconds pass so she wouldn't come off as being too eager before giving him a smile that had him blinking in surprise, "I will –thanks."

"Yeah."

She stared at him for a few more seconds, a blush stealing over her cheeks as she walked backwards a couple of steps, "See you at school on Monday."

"Yeah."

She gave him another shy wave before turning and running across the track towards a group of girls Marc recognized from some of his other classes.

A hard shove against his back almost sent him into the grass but he managed to stay on his feet as he whipped around to glare at a scowling Bailey, "What the hell is your problem?"

"My problem," Bailey glared at him, the slight breeze tugging at the loose strands of hair around her face, "You should have asked before inviting her to join us."

"I'm sorry," Marc's voice was slightly taunting as he looked over at Gabe and Brad, "I wasn't aware this was an exclusive club."

"I don't care," Gabe shrugged, Brad mirroring him despite Bailey giving him the evil eye, "Neither do I. She's got a pretty sweet bike."

Bailey fisted her hands, nails biting into her palms as Marc arched an eyebrow at her, "So what's the problem? You jealous?"

"What," Bailey's face flushed, her dark brown eyes flashing with anger, "Don't be a moron! I have nothing to be jealous of."

Pushing past him, she stomped away, muttering under her breath, the breeze carrying the words towards the boys, "Stupid idiotic dickwad."

Looking back at the guys, they all started snickering as Brad reached out to lightly punch Marc's shoulder, "She has a crush on you."

"What? No," Marc grimaced, hiking up his jeans as they started making their way towards the concession stand, "I don't think she even likes boys."

Brad and Gabe laughed at that, Marc kicking a loose rock as Gabe looked over at him, "It sure looked like she liked you."

Marc stared at him with a hint of confusion in his dark eyes, "Who are you talking about?"

"Robyn."

"Oh."

Brad grinned as he reached up to swipe his hair off his forehead, making sure he didn't hit himself in the head with the damn cast which he's done before, "You didn't think I was talking about my sister, did you?"

"No," Marc fought back the blush that threatened to flood his face, "_You_ were the one that made it sound that way."

Brad scoffed at that, tossing his empty can into a trash bin nearby as they joined the long lines at the food stand, "Please. Bailey's as anti-girly as a girl can get and having a crush on a boy is very girly."

"Very," Gabe looked over at the small crowd of girls, Robyn standing beside a pretty brunette, "Now Robyn, she doesn't seem to be anti-girly."

"She's not," Marc followed Gabe's line of vision, grinning when she looked his way and smiled at him, "And you're right. She does have a crush on me."

"How do you know?"

The guys laughed as Marc gave them that smirk all teenage boys seemed to posses when discussing girls, "She stares at me in art class when she thinks I'm not looking."

* * *

_Thursday, March 12_

Adjusting the wide collar of her dress, she studied her reflection, turning sideways as she smoothed her hands over the swell of her belly. Her lips pursed into a frown as she tilted her head to the side, a slight sound from the bedroom door having her look up.

"You look beautiful."

She stared at her husband for a few seconds, suddenly realizing what he thought she was brooding about, "Oh, no, I wasn't worrying about that."

Lian grinned as he moved across the bedroom floor, his hand warm against her back before he curved it around her waist, the thumb of his other hand smoothing out the furrow between her beautiful eyes, "Then what's with the frown?"

"I'm thirty-two weeks pregnant, Lian," Julie turned back to her reflection as Lian stepped behind her, his hands smoothing the silk fabric as he covered the swell that was their baby, "Shouldn't I be bigger?"

He was able to see the glimmer of worry in her eyes, giving her a smile of assurance as he kissed her exposed neck, the long red brown curls he loved as much as her eyes held in a twist by jeweled chopsticks, "Baby, other than the high blood pressure, the doctor said everything is fine."

She placed her hands over his, feeling a slight flutter as their baby rolled under their hands, bright smiles breaking across both their faces as Lian's lips brushed against her ear, "Our tadpole is just a bit on the small side."

Julie's eyebrows lowered as she frowned at his reflection, "Did you just call our baby a runt?"

He could see the gathering storm clouds in her eyes and knew he needed to say something quick or he was going to have a hormonal wife to deal with, "No. I'm just saying we have a small baby –nothing wrong with that, especially if it's a girl."

Julie sniffed, biting her bottom lip as she thought over his words, narrowing her eyes at him again, "What if it's a boy?"

Lian gave her his best charming smile, hoping to get her out of this brooding mood, "He'll grow into his height."

"How do you know he'll be tall," the intensity in her eyes almost had him laughing but he bit his tongue, knowing that would not be a smart thing to do, "We're both tall –it's in the genes."

Julie thought over his words, her eyes never leaving their reflection before she sighed, "I suppose you're right."

Lian dipped his head to hide the smile that threatened to break across his face, kissing her shoulder as he slowly stroked her belly in wide circles.

Julie closed her eyes, a shiver running down her back as Lian moved his open mouth up her throat, gently biting the soft spot behind her ear.

"Julian…" his name came out somewhere between a moan and a sigh, his body reacting the way it always did as he cupped her breasts, the tender way he handled them causing tears to spring to her eyes.

"I miss you," he whispered against her skin as he kissed his way across her shoulders, his teeth scraping the back of her neck, rubbing his thumbs over the hard buds pushing against the fabric of her dress, "I know our tadpole needs to stay in there as long as possible but I'm dying not being able to make love to you."

Julie sighed in agreement, just as unhappy with the no sex rule her obstetrician had enforced two weeks ago in an effort to maintain her blood pressure down, "I know…we should get going or we'll be late."

Lian let her turn in his arms but he didn't drop them from around her, instead placing his hands against her lower back as he slid his tongue along her bottom lip, getting the response he had expected. He pushed his tongue past her opened lips, her own meeting his, the taste of eager desire sweet to both of them as he angled his head for a tighter fit.

Moving a hand to cup the back of her head, he deepened the kiss, both of them straining to get closer, a groan rumbling in his throat as Julie slid her hands under the hem of his t-shirt, her fingernails dragging up his back.

Breaking the kiss to take a gulp of air, he tugged at her bottom lip, sucking at it for a couple of seconds before releasing it. Her heart thumped hard against her breastbone as he kissed her throat, air escaping her in shallow gasps. He licked the soft skin below her jaw line, wanting so bad to bite down and suck hard enough to mark her as his but refrained himself, knowing now was not the time for that.

Placing a line of tiny kisses over her jaw then gently biting her bottom lip, he swallowed the gasp that escaped her.

"Julian…" her whisper came out sounding like a plea, her head tilting further back as he ran his tongue over the edge of her teeth before tugging at her top lip –dear god, but if he kept kissing her this way, she was going to end up coming right where she stood.

Lian broke the kiss, breathing hard as he struggled to get himself under control again, settling his forehead against hers as his heartbeat slowed down, able to feel her pulse fluttering frantically under the fingers pressed against the side of her throat.

He felt her shudder, her arms tight around his waist. Stroking the back of her neck, he dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose, "Shh, baby –it's okay."

Burying her face into his neck, she took a deep breath, working hard at visualizing the calm quietness found at the bottom of the ocean –it was the only technique she knew to help her relax.

Several minutes of silence passed, neither saying anything nor feeling the need to say anything as Lian gently stroked her back, the tremors that had been shaking her body diminished to the occasional one every few minutes.

"I'm sorry," Julie's whisper brushed across his neck, causing him to get hard all over again but this time, he kept control of himself as he kissed her cheek, whispering into her ear, "It's not your fault, baby…I shouldn't have gotten you excited like that –"

Julie giggled, finally pulling back to smile into his warm brown eyes, "I've got news for you –just watching you gets me excited."

Chuckling, he dropped a chaste kiss on her lips before moving back, holding back a groan as her hands slipped out from under his shirt, leaving behind a trail of tingling nerves, "Are you feeling okay to go out? Rose and Seth will understand if you don't feel well enough to go."

"I'm okay," she gave him a soft smile, interlacing her fingers with his.

Kissing her forehead, he squeezed her hand as they headed down the hall and out of their house, having made plans to join Seth and Rose for lunch.

Despite the possibility of awkwardness, they were both looking forward to spending time with family.

* * *

Lian's eyes rolled back as he let out a low groan –it had been so long, "Is this Uncle Harry's fish fry?"

Seth laughed as he dipped a French fry into ketchup, "Yup. Ma gave us the recipe and Rose sent me fishing yesterday."

"Dude," Lian shot his a cousin a look of surprise, "Why didn't you call?"

Seth motioned to both him and Julie, "You've been busy with that music video. I ended up taking Zak with me –that kid is a fish whisperer. He caught two fish for my every one."

Lian laughed at that as he took a sip of his cold beer, "Sounds like he's got the Clearwater fishing genes."

"Definitely. Just like his Uncle Seth."

"Oh please," Lian scoffed at that as he took the last roll from the bread basket in the middle of the table, "If I recall, you cried the first time Uncle Harry took us out in the boat."

Seth laughed at that, "I cried? What about you? 'Please, Uncle Harry, it's too big out here –I can't see any dirt.'"

They all laughed at that as Rose took the pitcher of lemonade to refill her glass, looking across the table at Julie, "How's the music video going?"

"Very well," Julie let out a sigh as she set her fork down, leaning back into her chair and rubbing the side of her small belly –baby was practicing gymnastics at the moment, "We still have the beach setting to shoot but hopefully, we'll get it done this weekend."

"I'm glad the council gave you permission to use First Beach," Rose returned the pitcher to the middle of the table, looking over at the monitor at the sound of a soft whimper but nothing followed –Carlos was still asleep, "I hope you'll be prepared for crowd control –I know it's gotten around the reservation and Forks that you guys are shooting a video here."

"Sam's helping out with that," Lian finished his fish, wiping his mouth before sitting back and sliding a hand between Julie's back and the chair to rub soothing circles on her lower back, "The band's getting here sometime in the morning since they'll be part of this set."

"How exactly does video making work," Rose asked with sincere curiosity as she buttered a roll.

Julie shifted in her seat as she picked up her fork, "We shoot the entire song in different settings again and again. Then they get edited, cut and put together to create one video –it's a long process. Natalie's going to come down this weekend since the producer believes he'll be able to start editing Sunday and she wants to be a part of that."

"Yeah," Lian grinned as he tipped back his bottle to finish what was left of his beer, "The label's using this particular video to announce our little tadpole to the fans –Nat wants it to be perfect."

"She's acting like a proud grandmother," Julie chuckled as she let out a sigh, not able to eat anymore as a soft cry sounded from the baby monitor.

"I'm going to get Carlos," Rose stood up, smiling at her husband when he reached out to give her hand a squeeze, "Will you get his food from the fridge?"

"Sure."

Rose hurried down the hall as Carlos let out a louder cry, smiling when she walked into the room to find her baby, all of nine months, standing in his crib, tiny hands holding on tight to the railing, "_Hola nene_."

He stared up at her with those big eyes identical in color to hers, black spiky lashes surrounding them as huge tears rolled down his pudgy cheeks. Lifting him out of the cry, she kissed his head as he burrowed into her neck, his sobs squeezing her heart as she rubbed his small back, "I'm sorry, baby. I know you don't like waking up alone."

Sitting on the side of the bed, she rocked him, softly whispering words of comfort as his sobs slowly disappeared, the occasional hiccup escaping him as he looked up at her with a forgiving smile that showed off two bottom teeth.

She loved that smile –it was so like Seth's she couldn't help grinning back at him, kissing the tip of his little nose as she wiped her thumb over his wet cheeks, "Are you hungry? Want to see what Daddy has for you?"

Carlos nodded to both questions as he reached up to touch her face, his tiny fingers kneading her chin, giggles escaping him when she nibbled on his hand. Checking his diaper and finding him dry as well as clean, she headed back towards the kitchen, a small arm wrapped around her neck as he clutched his stuffy which she'd taken from his crib.

"There's my little man," Seth stood up to take him from Rose, the little boy laughing as his cheek got buzzed by his father before he was placed into his high chair, "Can you say hi to your Uncle Lian and Aunt Julie?"

Carlos looked at the two strangers as he carefully set his stuffy in the tray's cup holder, looking over at his father and stretching out his arm, opening his tiny hand in a sign that Seth knew as _give me food and do it now_, "Ma? Ma?"

Julie grinned as Rose picked up the empty plates on the table, returning with an apple pie and dessert plates, "He's beautiful, Rose."

"What is it with you girls," Seth looked over at Julie with a frown, the sparkle in his brown-green eyes letting her know he wasn't really upset while Rose took out a quart of vanilla ice cream from the freezer, "Boys are not beautiful. They are handsome or good-looking, hell even dreamy, but not beautiful."

"Mhm, I don't know," Rose handed Lian a piece of apple pie a la mode, a tap on Seth's shoulder reminding him he needed to put a bib on Carlos before he started feeding him, "I kinda agree with Julie –my Carlos is a beautiful boy…just like his Daddy."

Lian laughed at the way Seth's face flushed with embarrassment, "All you need is a pink dress, a tiara and we can start calling you Princess Setherina."

"Shut up," Seth gave him a scowl as he spooned pureed carrots into Carlos' open mouth, the little boy smacking his lips as soon as he swallowed before opening for another spoonful, "Unless you want me to tell Julie about Emily dressing you up like a doll, make up and all."

Julie laughed, setting her fork down as Lian glared across the table at Seth, "You just did. Does Rose know you used to play tea party with Leah?"

"I never played tea party," Seth objected with vehemence, spooning the last of the carrots into Carlos' mouth, his son letting out a squeal of joy when Rose placed a handful of cheerios on his tray, "We were playing Cowboys and Indians. I was stepping into the saloon for a shot of whiskey when you showed up."

"Since when does whiskey come from a teapot?"

Julie was laughing so hard she started hiccuping, her hands on either side of her stomach as Rose interrupted the cousins, laughter evident in her voice, "Before you two get carried away in revealing any more embarrassing secrets, I think Carlos needs to be changed."

Seth looked at his son, catching that look of intense concentration as his dark eyebrows dipped in the middle, "Well, looks like Lian's going to get to learn how to change diapers."

"What," Lian looked at his cousin in surprise, "Why do I have to learn to do that?"

"Because you're going to have a baby," Julie gave him an incredulous look as she shifted in her chair, "I'm not going to be changing diapers as well as feeding him so you had better pay attention."

"Come on, little man," Seth set the tray on the table before lifting Carlos out of his high chair, the little boy grabbing his stuffy before his father stood up, "Let's give your Uncle Lian diaper 1-0-1 lessons."

Carlos laughed as he tucked his stuffy under his chin, big hazel eyes on Lian as he stood to follow them down the hall.

Julie and Rose were pleasantly chatting, enjoying their pie and ice cream when Lian's voice echoed down the hall, "Oh that is disgusting!"

Seth's laughter was loud and deep as Lian yelled at him, "What the hell are you laughing at? Your kid just peed on me!"

"He's got pretty good aim too!"

"Oh, god, this is beyond disgusting!"

"That's my boy!

* * *

_Tuesday, March 17__th_

…_give me the beat boys and free my soul, I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away…won't you take me away –yay –yay…"_

Marc hummed along with the music as he placed his brush into the glass jar with the other ones he's used so far, picking up the one eighth inch brush he used for the tiny details, dipping it into one of the many different browns he had mixed together for this project he needed to complete by Friday.

His art teacher, Mr. Bender, had assigned them acrylics for the month of March and they were currently completing their _Study of Brown_ project which Marc was enjoying very much. He carefully added the golden brown flecks to the green until it matched the exact picture in his mind's eye, taking a step back to study the results before nodding as he switched to a one fourth inch brush, the song in his new iPod changing from Uncle Kracker to Poison.

It had been a birthday gift from the Cullens, the extensive playlists simply titled after each of the Cullen members –so far, he was enjoying Emmett's playlist the most, what with the rock and roll music of old along with the hard rock music that actually sounded like music. It had come along with its own docking station and the sound quality was superb which just made it hard for him to keep it at a low volume –it was a good thing his room was soundproof, he supposed, because he loved playing all those awesome songs with the loud drums and wicked guitar solos at top volume.

Completing the details to the background of his painting, he dropped the used brush in the jar, liking what was on his canvas so far. He still had another couple of layers of paint to put on it but he had to let this one dry first –he knew Mr. Bender was going to want to use this one for the State art competition he had mentioned at the beginning of the year and if he had to be honest with himself without sounding too conceited, he knew it would put him at the top tier of winners. Despite that, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to have so many people looking at it –the subject he'd chosen was a little too personal...he was contemplating between calling it _Princess Leah _or _An Indian Princess._

Hell, if Gabriel ever saw it, he was going to kick Marc's ass.

Letting out a sigh, he started cleaning up his paints, making sure all the tubes where closed properly before taking the jar of used brushes, opening the bottom desk drawer where he kept his cleaning supplies to pull out what he needed before shutting off his iPod and opening the door to head into the bathroom.

The door to the bathroom was opened which was why Marc was somewhat surprised to see his sister sitting on the edge of the tub, "Don't you have ballet practice?"

Vivi looked up at him, her long her caught up in a bun at the top of her head, several strands framing her face, "I just got in –thought I'd soak my feet before dinner."

Marc set his supplies on the sink before turning on the faucet, "Its dinner time already?"

"Tia said it'll be ready in thirty minutes," Vivi smiled at his as she unlaced the ribbons to her ballet shoes; "You were painting, weren't you?"

"How do you know?"

Her smile grew a bit as she gave him a sideways look, "You lose track of time when you're painting…or writing."

Marc shrugged, carefully washing out the paint from the bristles of his brushes –they were expensive and he made sure to keep them in shape by using soap specifically made for them as well as drying them instead of letting them air-dry, "I enjoy doing both so I kind of just don't pay attention to anything else."

A soft hiss had him looking up as Vivi removed her shoe, tossing it into the tub that was filling up with water, the blood on her toes making his nose wrinkle, "What the hell, Vivi? Why are your feet bleeding?"

"I'm still breaking in my shoes," Vivi undid the laces of her other shoe, carefully removing it as she bit her bottom lip, some of the blood having dried. Tossing the shoe into the water along with the other, she gingerly dipped her feet into the water.

"I don't remember your feet bleeding the last time you broke in ballet shoes," Marc washed his last brush, using his thumb and forefinger to squeeze water out of the soft bristles before molding them into their original shape then patting it dry between the folds of the washcloth.

"That's because the last shoes I broke in weren't en pointe," Vivi let out a sigh as she let her feet rest flat against the bottom of the tub, leaning forward to turn off the running water, "My toes aren't used to taking on my full weight and it'll take time to build up calluses."

Washing traces of paint from the sink, he turned off the faucet, drying his hands on the hand towel in the ring beside the mirror before moving to sit on the closed toilet seat, "Why do you do it? Obviously, it hurts like hell, not to mention your feet are going to get ugly."

Vivi let out a soft chuckle, not at all offended by her brother's frank way of speaking –Marc never did pull any punches or beat around the bush, "Because I love it. When I dance…I stop thinking and all I can do is feel the music, the emotions behind the movements…it's beautiful, the way it makes my heart soar…"

Marc's lips hitched into a smile at her words –she was such a romantic it sometimes scared him, "Does all that make the pain worth it?"

Vivi grinned at him as she took the towel she had placed beside her on the wide edge of the tub, "Nothing worth having comes without pain and sacrifice…you should know that, Marc."

He gave a shrug, watching as she patted one foot dry then the other, "Yeah, but still…I don't see how something as beautiful as you describe can possibly require pain to be accomplished."

"Then you're not paying attention when you go to my recitals," Vivi turned to stand, biting back a whimper at the aching pain that were her feet, legs…her entire body, really, "Next time, stop thinking that you're just there to support your sister and just…watch."

Marc laughed as she walked across the floor of the bathroom they shared, standing up to take his brushes and cleaning supplies, "Are you leaving your shoes in the tub?"

"I'll get them after dinner," Vivi tossed the used towel into her hamper before walking out of the bathroom, undoing the string bow that held her black see through skirt together, the pink leotard still wet in places where sweat had run down her body in rivulets, "I'm going to put on a sweater –I'm always cold after practice."

Marc shook his head as he went towards his bedroom to put away his stuff. Returning soon after, he ran into his sister again as she limped out of her bedroom wearing a large gray sweater that hung down to her knees, her black leggings still in place, "I know this is going to sound gross but I can help with your feet –"

"You are not going to spit on my feet," she glared at him, one hand on the door frame as she shifted her weight onto one leg to give the other a bit of respite, "Besides, I won't build up calluses if I let you do that."

"You really are into it, uh?"

"Yes," Vivi's gold-brown eyes were wide with earnest sincerity, "I plan on going to Juilliard…I'm going to be a prima donna ballerina."

"Gabe's not going to like you heading off to New York," Marc arched an eyebrow, watching the way her face flushed, "Of course, all that drama can be avoided if you just stay away from him."

"Stop it," she headed down the hall, needing to move before her muscles got sore and stiff –Miss Trinity had really worked them hard at the two hour practice she had after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, "Gabe knows that I want to be a ballerina."

"But is he okay with it," Marc followed behind her, hands in his pockets as he tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, "You gotta remember, Vivi –Gabe's an alpha male and alpha males like to get their way."

"You're one to talk," Vivi reached the bottom of the stairs, smiling at the sight of her baby cousin crawling across the living room floor in pursuit of Einstein, the blue tick hound in a crouched position as he moved away from him, his doggy grin making him look like the young puppy he had once been, "You always like getting your way."

Marc shrugged, moving across the living room and bending down to pick up Carlos, his belly laugh making him grin as he gently tossed him up into the air, easily catching him as the nine month old let out a squeal, his hazel eyes bright with enjoyment, "It's always better when I get my way, isn't it Carlos?"

Carlos laughed, little fingers reaching to pinch Marc's cheeks as he babbled, "Ma! Ma!"

Tossing him up in the air again, he caught him and gave his pudgy cheek a kiss before walking into the kitchen, Vivi helping Tia set the table, "What's for dinner?"

Tia looked up from slicing the crusty loaf of bread, laughing at the sight of Carlos attacking Marc's cheek in open mouthed exuberance, "Looks like he's hungry."

"Yeah, if you don't hurry up, I'm going to be his entrée of choice," Marc tried to pull him off but Carlos' arms were wrapped tight around his neck, "Get him off! He's gonna leave a damn hickey on me!"

"Language, Marcos," Vivi finished with the table, moving around to pull Carlos off of him, the little boy giving them a big smile as Marc used the neck of his shirt to wipe the drool off his face, "If I hear him say that word, I will hurt you. Right, Carlos?"

He looked up at her with a big grin, "Ma! Ma!"

"See," Vivi gave her brother a smirk, "He agrees with me."

"He agrees with everything," Marc tousled the dark hair that covered his tiny head before moving across the kitchen to open the fridge, "Is Uncle Seth coming for dinner?"

Tia looked at the clock over the arched opening that led to the living room, "He'll be here in twenty minutes."

"I'll starve by then," Marc grabbed a cheese stick, an apple and a bottle of juice, closing the door and leaning against it as he bit down on the apple, peeling open the wrapping to his cheese stick, "I am hungry."

"You're always hungry," Vivi shifted Carlos in her arms, reaching out to snag the unwrapped cheese stick from Marc's hand and giving it to the little boy, his big smile tanks enough before he sank his tiny teeth into it.

"Not nice," Marc scowled at her, taking another bite of his apple as he twisted the bottle open. Vivi shrugged, moving around the table to place her cousin into his high chair, "You were blocking access to the refrigerator."

"You could have asked me to move."

"Much less effort to just take it away from you," Vivi made kissing faces at Carlos, his sweet giggles escaping around the cheese stick he refused to take out of his mouth, "Right Carlos?"

Kicking his bare feet, he looked up at her with sparkling eyes, sucking on his treat as the sound of the front door opening and closing let them know their uncle was home, "Ma! Ma!"

"Rosie, I'm home!"

"About time," Marc tossed his apple core into the trash bin, moving across the kitchen floor just as Uncle Seth walked in, grabbing his arm and steering him towards his chair, "No time for kissing and such. I'm hungry and so is your kid, so let's sit down and eat, shall we?"

Vivi rolled her eyes, "You are so rude. At least let him say hi to Tia Rosa."

Marc arched an eyebrow, sitting in his chair as soon as Uncle Seth sat in his, Tia bringing the platter of sliced roast beef to the table, "They don't say hi, Vivi. They kiss for like thirty minutes…and as a thirteen year old boy, my stomach comes first."

Tia and Uncle Seth laughed at that, Carlos rocking in his high chair as he went back to sucking on the cheese stick, "Ma! Ma!"

"See?" He gave his sister a superior little smirk as he cut into his meat, "Carlos agrees with me."

"No he doesn't."

"Yes, he does," he looked over at his cousin, the little boy picking his blueberries one at a time to put into his mouth, "Right Carlos?"

"Ma! Ma!"


	48. Chapter 46

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Andrey & Alyx, 5yrs/kinder: Emerie, 7yrs/4th grade: Tyra, 3yrs: Zak, 6yrs/1st grade. **

**As always, Gabe's birthday is beside the chapter and the family tree is updated with every single chapter so you might want to check it out being there's a new addition to the Lahote household, baby boy William Jacob born in January.**

**I ask y'all to trust me, always trust me no matter how bleak things may seem and to enjoy the chapter as you read it, and of course, I would appreciate a review -or several. **

**Love you all!**

**Chapter Forty-Six (10yrs old)**

_Tuesday, March 24__th_

"I can't believe she's calling us to come in –again!"

"Now Leah –"

She interrupted what was sure an attempt to placate her, "You'd think with fifteen years of teaching experience, she'd figure out how to keep two five year olds out of trouble."

Rick's chuckle just added to the irritation she was feeling, slipping her hand into his offered one, too awkward in her advanced pregnancy to refuse his help in getting out of the car, "She's called us fourteen times since they started school…and that last one was completely unnecessary. What the hell do you expect to happen when you give five year olds pinecones, peanut butter and birdseeds?"

Rick laughed as he recalled that particular incident, Leah's rant continuing as they made their way across the parking lot, "Some of those incidents didn't necessitate a call for us to come in –like the glue thing –they're five, I hardly think they did _that _on purpose."

His laughter just got louder as they reached the front entrance to Forks Elementary, Leah thinking nothing of it as he held the door open for her. She was due in three days but that hadn't been reason enough to keep her from coming along with him when the kindergarten teacher had called them in –again.

"And that whole thing with the _paper mache _ –"

Rick knew he had to find a way to distract her or she was going to get herself worked up and more than likely take it out on Mrs. Birden who was simply trying to survive his boys, "Leah –"

"It's all your fault, you know."

Rick looked down at her in surprise, "How do you figure that?"

"Their penchant for mischief is a Laskaris thing," Leah pursed her lips as she reached back to rub the small of her back, "What with your twin brothers and the triplets –even you gave your mother hell."

Rick let out a bark of laughter, "Ho-oh! I gave my mother hell? What about you, climbing ten foot trees?"

Leah stared up at him in shock, thinking she was going to have to talk with her mother about revealing her secrets, "I was trying to save a cat."

"Oh, sure," Rick scoffed at that as they reached the door to Mrs. Birden's classroom, "Is that why you tied a rope around your waist and the other end to the highest branch you could reach? If I recall, I heard something about you wanting to rappel down the tree."

Leah sniffed as she stuck her nose up in the air, "You heard wrong."

Rick chuckled, dipping his head to drop a kiss on her nose, "Be nice."

She gave him a frown, her eyes twinkling at the resigned sigh he let out, "Fine. Be civil."

"I'll do my best."

Kissing her smiling lips, he opened the door for her, his hand going to the small of her back as they walked into the classroom.

A soft gasp escaped her at the sight of her babies, "What happened to their hair?"

Rick was just as surprised, looking at the teacher as he wondered how she had let _this_ happen.

"We were working on family portraits," Mrs. Birden's smile was serene as she calmly explained, observing the tender way Leah ran her fingers through Alyx's unevenly shorn hair, Andrey sporting a similar style, "I brought out scraps of fabric along with different colored yarn pieces, asked them to be as realistic as possible. While I was helping another student, Alyx and Andrey got creative."

Holding up two ten by fourteen pieces of white cardstock paper, she let that speak for itself.

Each one had eight paper dolls glued to the paper, pieces of fabric making up their clothes, six of the eight dolls sporting dark hair glued to their heads, the other two, "Where did the blond hair come from?"

Mrs. Birden's smile was no longer serene but twisted in a bit of a grimace as she answered Rick's horrified question, "The little girl that sits next to Alyx is a blond."

Leah's mouth dropped open as she looked from the pictures to her sons, knowing she shouldn't but she couldn't stop herself, the laughter bursting out of her despite her attempts at holding it in.

"Leah," Rick looked at her in disapproval, not believing she actually found humor in this blatant abuse of another child, "This is not funny."

"You're right, it's not," Leah's attempt to stop laughing ended in a snort, her face flushed as she turned to waddle out of the room as quickly as she could, "I need to find a bathroom!"

Rick's mouth flattened as the door closed behind her, his eyes swinging over to those two heathens she called her babies, their pleased smiles at having made their mother laugh making him angrier, "This is not a laughing matter. Do you see me laughing?"

Their smiles dimmed a bit as they shook their heads, answering in unison, "No."

"So what does that mean?"

They tilted their heads to the side in the exact same angle; Rick couldn't help but wonder if they practiced this or if the synchronization just came natural, "We in trouble?"

"Yes, you're in trouble," his frown was serious enough that they both looked at each other before dropping their eyes to their desk, "If you want to cut your hair, fine, but you do not take scissors to someone else's hair. Understood?"

They nodded, looking up at him when he cleared his throat as a reminder to use their words, "Yes Daddy."

He gave them a long look before turning his attention to Mrs. Birden, "Is there any way we can get in contact with the girl's parents to apologize?"

Mrs. Birden nodded with a smile, setting the papers she still held down on the desk, "Yes, of course. Let me write that down for you."

Andrey and Alyx gave him furtive glances, both knowing what the look on their father's face meant –they were going to be getting _the talk_ as soon as they got home…

It was not going to be good.

* * *

_Saturday, March 28__th_

She snuggled into the corner of Daddy's chair, the worn fabric soft and smelling just like him as she stared at the front door.

Granma Sue was in the kitchen making lunch, the smell of cake in the air reminding her how it was a happy day because mama and Daddy were bringing home a baby.

Frowning to herself, she crossed her ankles as she tried to figure out this whole baby thing –she didn't know if she wanted one even though Zak had told her it was going to be her little brother or sister.

She wasn't going to be the littlest one anymore and she didn't know if she was okay with it or not.

And what if the baby _was_ a girl? What if Daddy liked her more because _she _was the littlest one?

Letting out a soft humph of air, she tucked her knees up into her chest, the intensity in her brown-green eyes increasing as she kept staring at the door, thinking maybe Daddy would change his mind and not bring the baby because he liked her being the littlest one.

The sound of the back door opening and closing got her attention, her eyes moving away from the front door as Alyx and Andrey ran out of the kitchen and down the hallway towards their room, neither one seeing her sitting in the armchair.

Tyra didn't make any noise to get their attention, simply returned to her task of staring at the front door, the sound of Emmie in the kitchen, chattering to Granma Sue while she did her schoolwork becoming background noise as she went back to thinking about this baby Zak had told her about.

Maybe mama wanted a baby because she didn't want to be alone when Tyra started school. Daddy had told her she was going to be going into kindergarten when the summer was over but that was still a long time…why couldn't mama wait until then?

Biting her bottom lip, she wondered if she could get mama to leave the baby at the hospital where they got them –Zak told her that too –until she did go to school, then mama could go pick the baby up so she won't be alone while they were all at school.

Reaching up to tug at one of her pigtails, she thought about this baby again –would it look like her and Daddy? Or would the baby look like everyone else?

Most of the time, she liked being different –she liked that she looked like Daddy because he was her favoritest person in the world but sometimes, it wasn't easy to be the only one of her brothers and sisters to look like she did because she didn't look like their sister but they looked like each other's brothers and sister.

A lot of people told mama how much she looked like Emmie and how they both looked like mama but Tyra didn't see that –Emmie looked like mama with her dark hair and pretty brown skin. But Tyra didn't have mama's dark hair or mama's brown skin…her hair was just like Daddy's, the color of sand from the Greek beaches is what her mama said. And her skin –it wasn't brown but it wasn't that pretty white like Vivi's either…it was the color of the inside of a peanut.

Tyra hated peanuts.

The sound of a car pulling up to the front of their house broke through her grim thoughts as she focused on the door again, her breathing becoming labored as she imagined them coming up the walkway and stepping onto the porch, watched the doorknob as seconds trickled into a minute then two before it started to turn, feeling a bit of panic as the door swung open.

"Hey _agoraki_," Daddy smiled at her as he walked into the house, carrying the car seat in one hand, a duffel bag in the other, "Why aren't you playing with your brothers?"

She wrinkled her nose, shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her small chest, "They think it's funny to make me mad…I don't like to be mad and it's not funny."

Daddy chuckled as he dropped the bag on the floor, moving further into the room to place the car seat on the coffee table, arching an eyebrow as she leaned to look around him, "Where's mama?"

"She's outside with your brother," Daddy left the front door open, moving across the living room to lift her up into his arms before he sat down in his chair and placed her on his lap, "Emmie wants him to walk her over to Embry's so she can check on her garden."

Tyra nodded, looking over at the open door then back at Daddy, her brown-green eyes huge in her little round face, "Where's the baby?"

Daddy smiled at her, keeping his arm around her as he leaned forward to pull the car seat across the coffee table where she could see what was inside, "Right here. What do you think?"

Tyra studied the little bitty face, watching as a tiny mouth sucked on a tiny fist, bright blue eyes blinking up at her, "I don't know…is it a girl?"

"A boy," Daddy ran his finger down the baby's cheek, its head turning in reaction, the little hat he wore falling off.

Tyra's eyebrows dipped down into a vee as she studied the dark hair, the pretty brown color of his skin and the bright blue of his eyes, "He doesn't look like me."

Daddy smiled at her, tapping a finger on her nose, "But he's still your little brother. You'll get to teach him all sorts of things just like your brothers and sister taught you."

Her bottom lip poked out in a pout as she looked at the baby again, her eyes bright with gathering tears as she turned her gaze up at him, "Are you going to love him more than me?"

"What," Daddy looked at her like he was angry but his voice didn't get loud like it did whenever Ady and Aly got in trouble so she was certain he wasn't mad, "Tyresse Kiannah, I could never love any of you more than the other. I love all of you with every breath I take. Each and every one of you are the best parts of me and your mama –how could you think I'd love you any less?"

Tyra's bottom lip trembled as a tear rolled down her cheek, the tip of her nose turning red the way it always did when she cried, "He'll be the littlest and you will have to take care of him all the time and won't play with me anymore."

"Oh, _agapi̱ménos,_" Daddy wiped her tear away, snuggling her into his side as mama walked into the house, closing the door behind her, "You're right that the baby will need us to look after him but that doesn't mean we won't make time to play with you –I love playing with you and so does mama."

She sniffed, feeling guilty and ashamed for acting like a baby when she wasn't one anymore, looking up at mama before she stretched her arms to be picked up, Daddy giving mama that look she knew meant he didn't like what she was doing but mama picked her up anyway, holding her tight as Tyra wrapped her arms around her neck, letting the sobs come out before they made her sick from holding it in.

Mama gently pushed back the tiny curls that framed her face, giving her round cheek a sweet kiss, "We'll never stop loving you, baby. You're always going to be our little girl, no matter what."

Sniffing back the last of her tears, she pulled back to look into her mama's eyes, the shape and color an exact match to her own, "Promise?"

Mama smiled at her, placing a small kiss on her nose before she sat down in Daddy's lap, "Cross our hearts, pinky-swear promise."

Tyra's mouth spread into a bright grin as a whimper came from the car seat, her pigtails dancing as she whipped her head around to watch Daddy pick the squirming baby up.

"Would you like to hold your little brother," Daddy asked her as he brought the tiny little bundle up to his chest, the baby's bitty mouth opening in sucking motions.

Lifting her small shoulders in a sign of uncertainty, she slid off mama's lap then pulled herself up on Daddy's other side, smiling when Daddy lifted his arms to snuggle her into his chest, the baby safe in his big hands as he placed him in her lap.

"Don't let go," Tyra's voice had a bit of fear in it as she looked down at the little face of her brother, the sound of running feet and a slamming door preceding the arrival of the twins and Zak as they crowded around the armchair to look at the baby.

"What's his name," Zak asked as he reached out to touch a tiny fist, Tyra unable to look away from the chubby cheeks and big eyes as a swell of love filled her, making it hard to breathe right.

"Your mama named him Xavier Ilean," Daddy smiled up at mama, his arms still around Tyra keeping a secure hold on the baby as Aly grinned at the tiny kicking feet, a sock slipping off.

"Will he scream if I tickle his toes?"

A wave of protectiveness rushed over her as she looked up at him, her brown-green eyes glittering with the strong emotion.

"No Aly. Don't pull my baby's toes."

* * *

_Friday, April 3rd  
Seattle, Central Library_

Embry had to work hard at holding back his laughter as Emmie placed the huge Britannica Encyclopedia on the table with a slight drop that resounded in the silence before she scrambled up onto the chair, patting the one next to hers, "Sit here, Mou."

Setting his own stack of books down, he sat down and watched her struggle with the heavy book, finally succeeding in placing it right beside her notebook, the purple and blue butterfly printed backpack set in the middle of the dark oak table they'd commandeered before going in search of their books, "So what are you looking for, Princess?"

"I'm writing a paper on the evolution of flowers," Emmie ran her finger down the list of contents, humming under her breath as she turned the page to continue her search, "Mr. Benson wants to use it to convince the principal to let me skip to sixth grade."

Embry's eyebrows rose in surprise, his own research paper forgotten as he turned to look at Emmie who practically had her nose pressed to the tissue thin paper of the encyclopedia. Reaching for her backpack, he pulled the case containing her glasses and placed it by her elbow, "Put your glasses on."

Emmie wrinkled her nose but she did as he said, reaching up to swipe the bangs that covered her forehead –they were starting to get long, "I don't like wearing my glasses."

"Be that as it may, you need to be wearing them when you're reading," Embry turned sideways on his chair, resting his forearm on the table, "Now, what is this about your teacher wanting to skip you into sixth grade?"

"Mr. Benson talked to mama and Daddy, told them how I was very smart and needed a bigger challenge and how he wanted to make sure they would be okay with it before he suggested it to the principal," Emmie lifted her shoulder as she played with the spiral of her notebook, not sure what the look on his face meant.

"Emmie," Embry ran his fingers through his hair as he looked down at her fidgeting fingers, "You're not even eight yet –you'll be nine when you start middle school."

"That's what mama said," Emmie scrambled up to kneel on the chair, wanting him to understand why this was important to her, "She's worried that I'm too little but Mr. Benson said how skipping me to sixth grade would be better because I'll know all my classmates when I go into middle school instead of having me go to fifth grade then skip me into middle school where I won't know anyone."

Embry shook his head, hearing the enthusiasm in her voice but not sure if this was such a good idea –she was still a little girl, for goodness sake, "What did your mama and Daddy say?"

"Mama isn't sure about it and Daddy said he'll think about it and that they'll let Mr. Benson know before the school year is over but I asked Mr. Benson what I could do to help the principal make the right decision just in case mama and Daddy say yes. So I'm doing this paper to help show my ability to read, write and understand. It's kind of dumb, I think, but he said it'll help –along with my mathematics test and the science project that I entered for the science fair."

Embry's mouth hitched into a one-sided smile, loving the way her blue eyes twinkled with excitement, "You really want this, uh?"

Emmie's nod was enthusiastic and utterly adorable as she leaned forward to touch a small hand to his face, one of his big hands keeping her from falling off her chair, "I do, yes. It'll be so great to learn more stuff –the fifth grade teacher will be teaching division next year but I already know it along with the basic rules of algebra. That's why Mr. Benson decided to talk to mama and Daddy 'cause during recess last month, I asked to stay inside to do my homework. When he checked my math homework, he noticed some of the stuff you're teaching me in my notebook so he gave me some algebra stuff to do and was really surprised when I only got one wrong."

"You got one problem wrong?"

Emmie frowned up at him as she sat back on her heels, "It wasn't my fault. Mr. Benson didn't make it clear in the equation that he was looking for _y_ and not _x_."

Embry laughed, not caring about the looks he was getting from the other library patrons as he pulled Emmie off her chair and into his lap, dropping a kiss on her head, "In that case, I think you're more than ready for sixth grade and algebra."

Emmie grinned up at him, wrapping her arms around his torso as she set her head on his chest, the deep _thump-thump_ of his heart her favorite sound ever, "Mou."

"Yes Princess."

"Maybe you can talk to mama and Daddy –"

"No, no, no, no, no, no," Embry shook his head as he reached to tilt her face up by placing his hand under her chin, her big blue eyes begging shamelessly but this was one line he didn't cross, "I will do anything –_anything –_for you, Princess…except tell your Dad what to do."

* * *

_Wednesday, April 8__th__  
Seattle_

_**Powersource Magazine  
THEY'RE BACK!**_

_**The latest music video by the hottest due in the music business has hit the top f the charts within days of its release. Although the Young-Star wedding wasn't open to the public, the video itself has given their many fans a peek into what must have been a beautifully touching event.**_

'_**Glass' was written by both Lian Young and July Star, the wonderfully touching lyrics expressing the amazing journey they've travelled to find each other. Rumor has it there's a new video in the making, the label's CEO personally flying into Seattle where the newlyweds are currently residing to approve the final editing.**_

_**Sources say Young and Star sang the song –written by both –at their engagement party which was held at the club they were both discovered at. **_

'_**If I Didn't Have You' will be their newest hit, no doubt about it, especially since it's the official announcement of Young and Star's newest chapter of life –that's right, they've got a little one on the way!**_

_**So if you'd like to see Star's baby bump along with an obviously besotted proud papa, tune into your music video channel of choice two weeks from today. For now, though, big congratulations to Lian and July from us and all their fans –so happy to have you back!**_

Julie and Lian had come up to Seattle to meet with Natalie but Julie was really missing Lyn so she'd called her up. Her little sister had been excited to see her and since it was her one day off, she'd invited them over for dinner, Julie going straight to the apartment she shared with Collin while Lian met with Natalie and the producer at the record studio they've been using.

So here she was, watching the silly antics of her little sister and the man she had married, somehow feeling like she was invading their private time together but she supposed if Lyn had mentioned it was also Collin's one day off, she would have gone with Lian until it was time for dinner.

Had she done that, she would have missed this show which, to be honest, she was enjoying the hell out of it.

The radio was on in the kitchen, Lyn and Collin singing along with the band as they worked together to prepare dinner. She couldn't stop laughing at their antics, enjoying the smooth way they moved around each other in the small kitchen of their two bedroom apartment, making it obvious this was something they did often.

The song changed to the opening chords of Foreigner's _Hot Blooded_, Collin closing the oven door before he turned and wrapped his arm around Lyn's waist, her back to his front, both of them swaying to the rhythm of the music as they sang out loud:

_Well, I'm hot blooded, check it and see  
I got a fever of a hundred and three  
Come on baby, do you do more than dance?  
I'm hot blooded, I'm hot blooded_

Julie laughed as Lyn tossed the sliced bell pepper into the salad bowl, placing the chopping knife down on the cutting board before she turned in her husband's arms as they sang together:

_You don't have to read my mind  
To know what I have in mind  
Honey you ought to know  
Now you move so fine  
Let me lay it on the line  
I want to know, what you're doing after the show_

Collin dipped Lyn over his arm, pulling her up and off the floor, spinning her around and setting her down to grab the loaf of French bread from the bread box:

_Now it's up to you  
We can make a secret rendezvous  
Just me and you  
I'll show you lovin' like you never knew_

She watched in awe as Collin tossed the loaf of bread up in the air, Lyn catching it on a spin before placing it on the cutting board, letting out a laughing shout as Collin's hand landed on her denim covered bottom:

_If it feels alright, maybe you can stay all night  
Shall I leave you my key?  
But you've got to give me a sign  
Come on girl, some kind of sign_

_Tell me, are you hot mama?  
You sure look that way to me_

She knew her face was turning red, she was laughing so hard –those two were seriously something else!

Collin stepped up behind Lyn, his hands on her small waist as she shimmied against him, laughing when he dipped his head to sing into her ear:

_Are you old enough? Will you be ready when I call your bluff?  
Is my timing right? Did you save your love for me tonight?_

Julie laughed at the way Lyn's face flushed a bright pink, refusing to think as to the reason behind her little sister's reactions although the close proximity of her husband pretty much spoke for itself.

The overwhelming urge to pee had her rising to her feet, a gasp escaping her as the entire room slanted sideways.

"Julie!"

The music stopped, Lyn's hands on her shoulders keeping her from falling as the room continued to spin, the pounding in her head somehow compounding the feeling of vertigo as she was urged to sit down, Lyn's hands leaving her shoulders as another pair of hands, larger and rougher than her sister's, wrapped around her wrists.

"Get my bag," Collin kept his eyes on Julie's face, counting the pulse at her wrists, not liking the way she was breathing, "Julie, can you hear me?"

She swallowed back the urge to throw up, her ears ringing strangely as she tried to focus on Collin, his voice sounding oddly distorted, "Yeah…"

"Are you feeling dizzy?"

"Yes."

"Nauseous?"

Swallowing again, she gave a small nod as Collin took the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff from the soft leather briefcase he kept them in, "How's your vision?"

She blinked a few times but it didn't help, "A little blurry."

The pressure on her right arm increased in increments, Lyn's voice nothing but a buzzing sound in the background.

"Call Patrick," Collin told his wife as he lifted Julie into his arms, "We gotta get her to the hospital. Her blood pressure's one seventy-eight over ninety-eight, she's hypertensive."

Lyn ran into the kitchen to turn off the oven, grabbing the car keys as she dialed the number of the obstetrics unit director, giving him the details as she followed behind Collin, de-activating the locks to their silver blue Tahoe.

"Steven's the OB on call," Lyn got behind the wheel, Collin staying in the backseat with Julie as he took her blood pressure again, "Lian's on his way, he's calling her OB so they can fax over her history."

"Blood pressure's one eight-four over one o two –Lyn, call Patrick again. We're going to need the OR team on stand-by."

"Got it."

Julie couldn't concentrate on anything they were saying, the buzzing sound of their voices fading in and out as she tried to breathe through the pain that was her head. Everything was just a blur of lights and sounds, her heart feeling like it was going to burst out of her chest as she tried to take in air but it was getting difficult to do so.

Lyn parked at the emergency entrance, leaving the Tahoe as two orderlies came out with a stretcher, Steven –a fellow OB resident –accompanying them along with two nurses from labor and delivery.

Collin placed Julie on the stretcher, looking across at Steven, "Her blood pressure's shooting up –you're going to need to do an emergency cesarean."

"We've got the neonatologist on stand-by," Steven took over taking her blood pressure, calling out the vitals for the nurse beside him to record, "BP is one eight-eight over one o five, respiration thirty-four, pulse eighty-three –Collin, we need permits signed for a c-section."

"Her husband's on the way," Lyn joined them as they made their way down the hallway past all the emergency cubicles, pushing through the double doors, "He's having her obstetrician fax over her history."

"Let's put her on magnesium sulfate," Steven told the nurse, writing out the order before turning his attention back to his patient, "It should keep her from seizing while he gets here. Can you sight the permits, Lyn?"

She shook her head, a knot in her stomach as she watched her sister losing consciousness, "Lian's her medical proxy –their doctor had them draw up the paperwork in case something like this happened."

"All I can do for now is keep her stable," Steven checked his watch, not liking the fact that her respirations were increasing along with her pulse, "How long is it going to take him to get here?"

Lyn's phone rang before she was able to answer, the screen flashing Lian's name, "That's him. Lian? Where are you? The front entrance? Take the elevators up to the fourth floor, I'll meet you there."

Hanging up, she reached out to squeeze Collin's arm, "Have them draw up all the permits. I'm gonna go get him."

Collin nodded as the nurse returned with the magnesium sulfate along with the needed supplies to put in an IV, the entire team working efficiently as they continued to move towards the elevators.

As soon as the elevator doors opened onto the fourth floor, the rest of the team converged around the stretcher, Collin stepping out of the way as they moved towards the operating room.

"What's going on," Lian stepped out of the other elevator, Collin stopping him from following after Julie, "We need you to sight the permits first, Lian, then you can be with her."

"What's happening," Lian's face was tight with worry as he moved towards the nurse's station where they had a clipboard with the permits ready for him.

"She's hypertensive," Collin explained in concise terms, knowing that in the state of shock Lian was in, he would have a harder time understanding anything but the most basic of explanations, "Her blood pressure's climbing and although they've put her on magnesium sulfate, the best solution is an emergency cesarean."

"The baby?"

"We have the neonatologist along with the respiratory therapist in case there are any complications on that end."

"She's only thirty-six weeks," Lian stared at the permits, his fingers tight around the pen the secretary had handed him.

"Lian," Collin clapped his hand on his shoulder, keeping his gaze steady on him, "If they don't do the cesarean, she'll start seizing…she could have a heart attack, a stroke…go into multi-system failure. You need to sign those –now."

* * *

Everything had gone well without any complications and although he'd been assured by both Julie's doctor and the pediatrician seeing to their baby, he was still feeling anxious as he watched his wife sleep.

This woman had an iron grip on his very soul, if anything were to happen to her, he wouldn't survive –it didn't help that the moment he had laid eyes on that tiny little being they had made together, it had felt like his chest had been ripped open. Those tiny little hands, with their perfect ten little fingers, was now the keeper of his heart.

Between those two, he was completely and unashamedly owned.

Reaching out, he gently moved a curl off her cheek, tucking it behind her ear as he leaned down to kiss her forehead, smiling at the soft sigh she gave, long red-tipped eyelashes fluttering before they opened to reveal the bright amethysts that were her eyes.

His very heart was in his eyes as he smiled into hers, stroking her cheek with his thumb, "Hi."

Her smile was slow but just as devastating as always, long fingers touching his face, "Hi."

"Don't ever scare me like that again," his voice came out choked as he rested his forehead against hers, his fingers curving along the side of her beautiful face, his mouth touching hers briefly in an achingly sweet kiss before he pulled back, "I thought I was going to lose you."

The tenderness in her smile caused the ever present knot in his throat to thicken, "Never, Julian. You're never going to lose me. I'm sorry you were scared…I was too."

Lian kissed her again, his fingers burying into her hair as she sighed into his mouth, the taste of her so sweet it had him gasping for breath.

She let out a sigh, moving to sit up, Lian immediately pushing the button to lift the head of the bed for her, "How's our baby?"

"Beautiful," Lian grinned as he took her hands in his, the steady beat of her pulse reassuring him in a way no amount of words from professionals could, "Four pounds, thirteen ounces. Seventeen and a half inches long…and as gorgeous as her mama."

"A girl," Julie's eyes were bright with unshed tears, "We have a girl."

"A little doll," Lian's grin grew a bit more as he sat on the side of the bed, holding both of her hands in his, "She's still at the nursery but the nurses there say she's doing great. They'll bring her in as soon as you're ready for her."

"I want to see her," a tear escaped the corner of her eye, rolling down her cheek to be caught by Lian's fingers; "I want to hold her."

Lian nodded, leaning forward to kiss her forehead, "I'll go talk to your nurse –we might be able to get a wheelchair and go to the nursery."

"Do you think they'll let me shower first?"

"I'll ask," Lian cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that kept rolling down her cheeks, "Natalie's in the waiting room –she's already got the PR people working on a press release…she asked about a possible photograph."

"Rose can do that," Julie let out a sigh, the overwhelming emotions she was experiencing slowly residing, "We can have her do the photographs and we'll pick one to give to Natalie for the article."

Agreeing to that, Lian went in search of the nurse and before long, Julie was in the shower with the help of the nurse's assistant. Clean sheets on the bed and wearing her own nightgown, Julie opted to sit in the recliner instead of returning to bed.

Pulling the brush through her hair, she was glad Lian had remembered to bring in the duffel they had stashed in the trunk of their car after their last doctor's visit –they had been told about the possibility of an early labor and the need to be prepared just in case.

A smile broke across her face as the door to the private suite she was in opened, Lian walking in with Seth and Rose following close behind, several dozen balloons bobbing over their heads, "Hey!"

Rose grinned as she set her camera bag down on a nearby table, Seth placing a huge caramel brown teddy bear with a beige snout and paw-pads on her bed, "You look great."

"I feel much better," Julie smiled up at Lian as he moved to stand behind her, relinquishing the hairbrush to him without a fight as she laughed at the sight of the bear, "That's one big teddy bear."

"It's the biggest we could find," Seth looked over his shoulder as a knock sounded, the door opening to let in Lyn, Collin and Jiao, "Come join the party."

"Why, thank you Seth," Lyn gave him a teasing smile, a glass vase filled with white roses and purple irises in her hands, "You're such a good host."

Everyone laughed, Jiao moving across the room to lean over Julie, wrapping her arms tight around her as she whispered into her ear, "You did so good, baby –she's beautiful."

Julie blinked back the urge to cry, her own arms around her mother's petite frame, "I don't even remember most of it but I'm so anxious to meet her."

"Knock, knock," a nurse walked into the room, a wheeled bassinet beside her, "Looks like the welcoming party is here."

Julie grinned as the nurse moved across the room, everyone making awed sounds as they caught sight of the tiny bundle, "And now that the guest of honor is here, we can get started."

The nurse laughed, checking all the identification on both Julie and Lian's wrists, as well as the baby's, before instructing them on what to do in case the baby starts choking or stops breathing, letting them know her next feeding would be in an hour.

They all thanked her before she walked out of the room, having left the sleeping baby in Julie's arms, everyone crowding around the chair.

"I've never seen anything that tiny," Seth had his arm around Rose's shoulders, studying the small features of the tiny face visible above the pink swaddling blanket and the snug cap on her small head, "Even Carlos wasn't that small."

"She's a little doll," Lyn smoothed the back of her fingers over the baby soft cheek, "Hey, baby girl. I'm your Aunt Lyn –anything you want that your parents won't give you, you come to me, okay?"

Julie's chuckle wavered slightly as she gently unwrapped her baby, wanting to see her from head to toe, "You're going to spoil her rotten, aren't you?"

"Yep," Lyn grinned, purple eyes dancing as she looked over her shoulder at her husband, "You can pay back the favor when we have ours."

Collin's face went slightly pale at that, his eyes swinging from the baby to Lyn, "That's gonna be a while."

"She's got your eyes, mama," Julie smoothed a finger over the small forehead, the closed eyelids slanted at the corners, her soft skin a beautiful almond hue.

Jiao's lips trembled as she gently removed the little cap to reveal the dark hair that covered the tiny head, "She's absolutely beautiful –and so small. What's her name?"

Julie looked over at Lian –he was now crouched beside her, an arm across the low back of her chair –smiling at the look on his face…she could see the all-encompassing love in his dark brown eyes as he stared at their baby girl, "I got to pick the first name while Lian picked her middle name. We haven't told each other so this should be a surprise for everyone."

"In that case, you'll have to explain the meaning behind the names you choose," Lyn took the gift bag that Collin had been holding, pulling out a pink onesies she had found at the gift shop, "Then w can dress her up and have Rose take your first family picture."

"Then y'all can go home so we can rest," Lian gave them an apologetic smile as he covered his baby's tiny head with his large hand, her hair fine silk against his palm, "We've got another wave of visitors coming in a few hours and mama's going to have to feed our baby soon."

Julie lifted her baby up to place a soft kiss on her soft cheek, amazed at the delicate details of her face –a beautifully shaped nose that was all Lian, high cheekbones with dark lashes resting against them and a beautiful cupid bow's mouth, "Are we going to have to wake her up?"

"Do you eat asleep," Collin teased, letting out a small grunt as Lyn's elbow landed in its usual spot between his sixth and eighth rib, "Always the same spot –do you have radar or something?"

"I'm ready to take pictures," Rose held up her digital camera, smiling as Julie and Lian worked together to change their baby into the pink onesies, "I'll give whichever you pick to Natalie by tomorrow morning."

"So," Lyn grinned at the glitter lettering across the tiny chest –_Daddy's Lil Cowgirl_, "What's my niece's name?"

"Her first name is Jillian," Julie smiled at her husband, loving the tender way he was putting white and pink socks on her tiny feet, "It's the medieval form of Julian and it means youthful."

Lian's smile spread into a grin, his dark eyes glittering as he leaned in to kiss her lips, his arms wrapping around the two that were his entire world.

No one paid attention as Rose proceeded to take pictures, which was fine by her –she preferred these kinds of settings instead of the posed kind.

"What's her middle name," Jiao asked as she gathered Julie's long hair, plaiting it into a Chinese braid over her shoulder just the way she used too when her girls were young and dependent on her.

Lian smiled into Julie's eyes, stroking his hand over her hair, never looking away as he shared the name he had picked, "Sying (_Sigh-ing_). It's Chinese for –"

"Star," Julie, Jiao and Lyn answered in unison, all three smiling at Lian like he'd answered the world's toughest problem.

"Jillian Sying Young," Seth nodded with a smile, giving his cousin a good hearted slap on the back, "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

And indeed it was.


	49. Chapter 47

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Emmie, 8yrs/4thgrd: Marc, 13yrs/7thgrd: Brad, 12yrs/7thgrd: Bailey, 12yrs/7thgrd: Carlos, 1yr and as always, Gabe's age is next to the chapter.**

**Enjoy and please, please review!**

**Chapter Forty-Seven (11yrs old)  
**_First Week of June_

"So we're all in agreement," Gabe looked at his cousins, pushing the drawn map to the middle of the table, "This is the trail we want?"

They were all sitting around the kitchen table at the Laskaris' home, their summer vacations having started a couple of weeks ago. They had used the last two weeks of May to explore all available trails the forest had to offer, all four treating Sam's agreement to give the one trail for the use of their bike races as serious business, even going as far as researching, discussing and deciding together as a team for the best option.

"This one's the best," Marc tapped his finger against the map, having drawn it himself after careful exploration on his bike and one foot, "It has lots of twists and turns as well as room for any changes we may want to make."

Bailey wrinkled her nose, the only one of the four still undecided, "I still like the second one better –with the constant incline, it will help us build endurance."

"But the trail goes up into the mountains," Brad leaned his chair back on its two rear legs, "Dad stipulated we couldn't go into the mountains."

"Besides," Gabe tapped the map in the middle of the table, "This has the most miles and it goes around the far outside of the forest."

"Plus," Marc picked up his lead pencil, taking the map in discussion and the second map, "This part of the trail butts up against the other one –we can combine this steep incline into the track."

"That would be cool," Bailey bit the corner of her lip as she tossed her head back to dislodge the long bangs from in front of her eyes, "It'll give two options in one track."

"We can dig a trench on this half of the track," Brad pointed at the point of the trail in question, which had widen considerably with the addition of the steep incline, "About five feet wide –it'll help with our jumps."

All maps had been drawn by Marc, being he was the one with a visual photographic memory on top of the artistic ability and because of that, he was the one sketching in the changes the rest of them were suggesting.

"We can use that dirt to put a ramp further up the track," Gabe pointed at another part of the trail, "Catch some serious air."

Marc drew in the changes as they were suggesting them, Emmie walking into the kitchen towards the refrigerator. She picked out a juice bow, the four older kids continuing their discussion of changes and additions to their chosen trail.

Removing the straw from the plastic covering, she poked it into the foil covered hole, taking a sip as she moved to stand by the table between Marc and Gabe, watching Marc as he continued to draw in the changes, all the while making notes on the margins.

"What are you doing?"

Gabe dropped his chin into his chest for a few seconds before looking over at his little sister, "None of your business, nosy."

"Hey," Marc kicked out at Gabe from under the table, "Don't be mean."

Emmie gave him a big smile as he pulled the map to where she could see it as he explained, "Uncle Sam is letting us use one of the forest trails for our bike races. We're just thinking of ways to make it more challenging."

Emmie took a sip of her apple juice, pointing at the map, "What's that?"

"That's going to be a trench, five feet wide," Brad grabbed a piece of paper from the stack on the table, taking one of the pencils to draw it out, "Maybe three feet deep? It'll cut across half of this wide part of the track."

Emmie nodded as she took another sip, "What about this?"

"This is going to be a ramp," Gabe answered this time, playing with the pencil he was holding, "We've taking the dirt from the trench to make it."

"Mhm," Emmie made a face that Gabe knew very well –they were about to get a lesson in nerd speak, "What's the distance between the ramp and the trench?"

They all looked at each other, Gabe finally shrugging as he gave an estimate, "About ten…fifteen feet?"

"Mhm," Emmie made that face again, taking a sip from her juice box as she looked over the top of her glasses at them, "Is the ramp for height or distance?"

"Height."

"Distance."

"Both."

Emmie pushed the black rims up her nose, blue eyes big behind the glass as she blinked a couple of times, "Then fifteen feet isn't enough distance between the trench and the ramp."

Gabe groaned, dropping his head onto the table, "This is why I didn't want you to tell her –she's going to get all technical on us."

"Shut up," Marc slapped Gabe's shoulder, giving Emmie his attention, "What do you suggest?"

"Simple physics, really," Emmie sucked up the last of her apple juice, "The steeper the incline, the higher the jump. A forty-five degree angle will take you fifteen feet of distance but only about four feet of height. Now, if the lip is at an eighty degree angle, it'll take you seven feet up into the air but not very far."

Gabe ran his hand through his hair as he looked sideways at his sister, "Why isn't fifteen feet enough?"

"Because you need distance to build up speed," Emmie placed her empty juice box on the table, plucking the pencil out of Gabe's fingers as she took the sheet of paper Marc held out for her, "Two times the speed equals four times the height and distance."

"That is so cool," Brad stared in awe at his genius cousin, Bailey's eyebrows lowering over her dark brown eyes as she asked, "How do you know this?"

"Oh god, now you're going to get her going," Gabe muttered under his breath but none of the others paid him any attention –they were all too busy watching Emmie draw graphs and equations on the paper.

"The learning channel," Emmie labeled the vertical side of the graph _height in feet_, the horizontal bottom line as _launch angle_, "They showed this cool episode last week on physics applied to everyday life. Also, Embry explained it to me because it's what he does."

Marc watched carefully as she labeled the horizontal top line _distance in feet_ before proceeding to draw the differing angles, explaining all the while: "These work best if you're going fifteen miles per hour but if you go twenty, you'll jump higher and get further. For that to happen, you need, at least, thirty feet between the trench and the lip of the ramp. Forty feet would be optimal."

Putting the pencil down, she pushed her glasses up again, taking her juice box and throwing it towards the trashcan in a forty degree angle, smiling as it went in without touching the edges, "Just like that."

Marc chuckled, always finding Emmie's confident and somewhat cocky attitude amusing. Gabe –not so much.

"You're eight years old," he gave her a pointed look as he took back the pencil she had taken from him, "You shouldn't use words like optimal –it makes you sound like a nerd."

"And you shouldn't use words like nerd. It makes you sound ignorant," Emmie headed out of the kitchen, stopping under the archway to look over her shoulder at him, "That's nerd-speak for stupid."

Marc, Brad and Bailey burst out laughing, Emmie looking pleased with herself as she disappeared into the living room.

"Burn," Brad grinned at his cousin, his dark brown eyes dancing with mirth, "How does it feel to get the verbal smack down from an eight year old?"

The corner of Gabe's mouth hiked up into a smile, "Kinda proud, actually. She needs to learn to be tough or those six graders are going to eat her for breakfast. So how about we make a list of the things we need?"

They turned to look at Bailey, her reaction somewhat offended, "Oh, because I'm the girl, I have to be the secretary?"

"No-o," Gabe gave her that 'duh' look of his, "You have Brady at your beck and call so he'll be the one to ask."

"Oh," Bailey dropped her eyes, taking a sheet of paper and pencil, "He'll probably be able to help with the big stuff, like shovels."

"Rakes," Brad grabbed the edge of the table to keep from falling back, having tilted his chair a bit too far, "To clear the trail of rocks and twigs and stuff."

"A wheelbarrow," Marc kept studying the equations Emmie had left behind, drawing different diagrams on clean sheets of paper, "To transfer the dirt from the trench to the ramp."

"Plywood," Gabe leaned forward to point at a part on the trail where a ten foot crevice cut through a stream several feet below, "For the bridge here."

"Rope," Bailey wrote it down on the list, "That way we can rope off the entire track to keep animals off of it."

"Oh," Brad slapped his hand down on the table as a distressing thought popped into his head, "What about rain? The run-off will totally ruin the trail."

They all stared at the map, their collective brains going a mile a minute as they tried to come up with a solution.

"What if," Marc held up a finger before drawing in some markings beside the trail that faced the incline into the mountain, "We have some sort of drainage system? This way, the water is re-routed to the sides instead of down through the track, which will keep any rain damage to a minimum."

"Oh."

They all nodded, slow smiles spreading at the brilliance of that idea, Gabe tapping his finger against the map, "You know who can help us design a diagram for that?"

"Who?"

He looked over his shoulder towards the living room where the sound of the television was coming from, "Emmie!"

* * *

_Second Week of June_

It was hot, unusually so, but within the heart of the forest, a coolness hung in the air, the thick foliage keeping out the sun's heat while filtering its noonday light.

The soft chirps and creeks of insects and birds went silent as they moved through the trees only to pick up again after they'd passed by. The whisper of the breeze was the only sound not intimidated by the presence of a predator, its soft whistle fluttering anything light enough to move.

"According to the map, it should be up ahead."

Marc looked down at the list of coordinates he held in his left hand, a compass in the other, "It would have been nice if your dad had taught us how to use this damn thing before tossing us out into the wild."

Bailey laughed, folding the topographical map her dad had given them, Gabe and Brad having a similar map but at the other side of the forest.

"I told you, I've plotted the points. Since we've found three of the flags, I've obviously done it right. Or does it bother you to follow a girl?"

Marc scoffed at that, tucking the compass into the pocket of his jeans before carefully folding the list of coordinates, "Please. It wouldn't bug me so much if this weren't another attempt at keeping us busy -and apart."

Bailey gave him an apologetic look over her shoulder, "Dad caught me and Brad tying a rope from the tree near the cliff."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

Bailey laughed at the disappointed look on his face -it would have been awesome to swing right off the cliff into the crashing waves ten feet below, "That's exactly what he said!"

Marc shook his head, shifting the straps of the backpack he was carrying, "Man, that would have been awesome -just like flying."

"Exactly," Bailey stopped, catching sight of the bright blue fabric tied several feet up in a pine tree, "There it is!"

Marc tilted his head back, shrugging out of his backpack, "I'll get it."

Bailey turned to scowl at him, "You got the last one."

"Fine," Marc shrugged, sweeping an arm out in a grandiose gesture, "It's all yours."

Dropping her own backpack, she walked around the tree, looking for a branch within her reach but the closest one was about six feet above the ground and although she was the tallest girl in her class, it was still several inches out of reach.

Marc crouched down to unzip his backpack, pulling out a bottle of water as he watched her jump in an attempt to grab the branch. This was the reason why he had agreed to this capture the flag scavenger hunt thing -Bailey was downright hilarious whenever she was dead-set on doing something she couldn't do.

"You know," she glared at him, placing her hands on her hips, "Instead of smirking, you could help."

"Oh," Marc swallowed a mouthful of water before closing the bottle, "Now you want my help?"

"Well, if you'd rather Gabe and Brad win..."

Marc chuckled, tossing his bottle into the opened backpack before moving to stand by the tree, "This wouldn't be necessary if you had talked Brady into getting the stuff we need like we had talked about."

"I was doing fine with that," Bailey placed her hands on his shoulders as he crouched down, her foot secure in his linked hands, "It was you three who screwed it all up, not being able to keep Dad out of the garage…I should have known you'd all make horrible look-outs."

"It's not good to piss off the guy holding you four feet off the ground," Marc muttered, his face turned to the side to keep her knee from introducing itself to his nose.

Bailey laughed at that, planting her hand on top of his head as she reached up with her other hand, the bark scraping her fingertips, "Just a little higher."

"Just a little higher," Marc groaned, his arms straining as he lifted her up a bit higher, "You're not as light as you think, you know."

"Shut up," grabbing onto the branch, she let go of his head, pulling herself up, Marc ducking just in time to avoid getting kicked in the face.

"So I'm thinking we find a place to eat lunch after this," Marc watched her as she maneuvered up to the next branch, easily snagging the blue flag.

"You're always thinking about food," Bailey looked down to where he was, dropping the flag into his hands, a folded piece of paper pinned to it, "What do we get?"

He unfolded the paper once Bailey was standing on the lowest branch, "The wheelbarrow. Good thing too, I don't think all our allowances pooled together would cover the cost of one."

Crouching and grabbing the branch she stood on, she swung down, letting go and landing on a crouch, her hands keeping her from falling on her face. She dusted off her hands as Marc stuffed the flag and their prize into the front pocket of his backpack with the others, "Okay, so far we have one rake, sixty feet of rope, a plywood sheet and now the wheelbarrow. Let's hope the guys find the shovels."

Marc nodded in agreement, "If not, we'll be digging with our hands."

She almost made a comment about having the Laskaris pack dig for them but the sight of him running his fingers through his hair before stretching his arms over his head had her blank out, the sun slanting over his face bringing a disturbing thought into her head…he was actually quite cute.

"So how about lunch?"

Bailey didn't answer, staring at him with a strange look on her face. Dropping his arms to his sides, he tilted his head to the side, "Hey."

Blinking, she focused on him, her cheeks flushing slightly, "Uh, yeah, what?"

Marc grinned at her, "Are you hungry?"

"Uh," Bailey looked away from him, making a big deal out of putting her backpack back on, "Yeah…yeah, I can eat. There's a, uh…a little fire pit some yards from here. We can eat there."

Picking up his own backpack, he finished his water bottle before stuffing it into the dark blue bag, zipping it up before tossing it over his shoulder, "Sounds good."

They walked several yards in silence, Bailey wondering what the hell was the matter with her while Marc wondered the same thing, not sure why she was acting weird. He could always tap into her thoughts but that seemed wrong what with her being his friend and all.

"Bailey."

"Mhm?"

He watched her tuck her bangs behind her ears, not looking back at him, "You okay?"

"What? Yeah, sure," Bailey shrugged in what she hoped was a nonchalant manner –damn him for adding fancy words to her vocabulary –stuffing her hands into the pockets of her ripped jeans, "Why wouldn't I be? Look, there's the fire pit."

Marc shrugged –if she wasn't going to tell him, he wasn't going to beg.

Setting his back down between his feet as he sat on one of the logs, he unzipped it and pulled out the Ziploc bag containing his lunch –chips, a sub-sandwich and a double chocolate chip cookie the size of a Frisbee.

Looking across the fire pit where Bailey was sitting on the other log, he arched an eyebrow at the peanut butter and jelly sandwich she was munching on, "Really?"

Bailey lifted a shoulder in a shrug, "Lili packed my lunch."

"My sister packed my lunch as well but she's not letting me starve," Marc held out one half of his sub, "Here, take half."

She took the offered sandwich, the hollow feeling in her stomach letting her know there was no point in refusing, "Thanks."

Marc nodded, taking a bite of his sandwich, the rich flavor of roast beef, pastrami and mustard having him let out a low moan of appreciation. He watched Bailey as she nibbled on her half, wondering what her problem was –she usually ate with the same gusto as the rest of them.

"I was thinking," Marc took a full bottle of water from his backpack, twisting the top off before taking a gulp of the cool liquid, tossing his head back to get his shaggy hair out of his eyes, "It's going to take us all summer to get the track done how we've designed it –we might need some help."

"Brady can help," she searched her bag for the bottle of water she had taken from the fridge that morning, "And it'll take more than the summer to get it how we want."

"We should start with the bridge first," Marc finished his water, placing the empty bottle into his bag before pulling out another one, "That way we can still us the track while we're working on it."

"Yeah…dammit!"

Marc smirked as he watched her kick the bag between her feet, "Forget something?"

"My water," Bailey wrapped up what was left of her sandwiches, placing them into the brown paper bag before pulling out a Twinkie, "I must have left it on the table."

Marc eyed her dessert –man, he loved those things, "I'll trade you my water for your Twinkie."

Bailey scoffed as she ripped open the cellophane wrapper, "Are you kidding me? I had to arm wrestle Brad for this Twinkie –it was the last one in the box."

"Well, then," Marc held up the bottle, looking through it at her warped image, "Guess you'll have to stay thirsty…that peanut butter will probably give you cotton mouth."

"I know what you're trying to do," Bailey glared at him, a stray ray of sun causing blue highlights to appear in the braid over her shoulder. Marc hadn't realized before how long her hair was or how shiny…and soft looking.

"Hey."

When he didn't answer, she picked up a nearby pinecone and tossed it, hitting him on the shoulder.

Marc reached up to rub the smarting area as he glared at her, "Why'd you do that for?"

"You were staring at me."

"Was not."

"Yes, you were."

"Oh, you mean like when you stared at me back there?"

Bailey's face flushed, her eyes dropping to the Twinkie she was still holding, completely missing the fascinated look on Marc's face as he studied the soft pink under the copper hue of her skin, "I was not staring at you."

Marc grinned, glad the attention was no longer on him and unable to keep from teasing her to see if that pink would get any darker, "Yeah, you were."

"You know what," Bailey stood up, throwing her dessert at him, "Have the damn Twinkie!"

Marc hadn't been expecting her reaction so he completely missed it, the Hostess dessert falling to the ground, "What the hell? You just ruined a perfectly good Twinkie!"

"Not my fault you can't catch. Now give me the water."

"What," Marc stood up, keeping the bottle out of her reach, "No."

"The deal was my Twinkie for your water," Bailey pointed at the ground, the smug look on her face making him angry, "There's your Twinkie."

"Oh…okay," Marc twisted the top, having every intention to pour out the water into the ground, "I'll just give you the water like you gave me the Twinkie."

"No!"

This time he was prepared, keeping a grip on the bottle as she lunged towards it, their combined grips causing the loose top to pop off, water cascading over both them. Laughing as water dripped down her nose, she kept her hand around the top of the bottle as she twisted into him, hoping to get enough leverage to pull it out of his hand. Marc squeezed the bottom of the bottle, laughing louder as water erupted out of the opening, splashing her on the face.

She let out a laughing shout, hooking her foot around his ankle to topple him back but he was already leaning over her, his arm around her as she kept tugging at the bottle in his hand. Losing his balance –and unsettling hers –they fell, Marc twisting in mid-air so she would land on him and not the other way around, a grunt escaping him as her elbow dug into his side, "Oh god, that's my liver!"

"Yeah, well," Bailey laughed as she sat up, pushing her wet bangs off her face, "That was my water."

"And that was my Twinkie," Marc sat up, plucking at his wet t-shirt, the awkwardness returning as soon as they looked at each other and realized how close they were.

Staring into his dark brown eyes, the random thought of how they matched her favorite –and secret –teddy bear flitted through her mind, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she looked down at her jeans. Marc wasn't sure what to do about the awkwardness occasionally creeping up between them whenever they hung out without Brad and Gabe but he was certain bringing it up wouldn't be a good idea so instead, he pushed himself to his feet.

"Were you going to kiss me?"

Marc stared down at the top of her head in surprise, her soft voice making something inside him shift, "What? No!"

The silence that followed was heavy with tension as he kept staring at the top of her head, Bailey keeping her eyes on her jeans as she tugged at the threads coming loose from the rip across her knee.

"Did you…want me to kiss you?"

"What," Bailey's brown eyes swung up to look at him in shock, "No!"

The tension got heavier as they stared at each other, Bailey finally getting to her feet, wiping her hands against her jeans as she bit the inside of her cheek. Neither one knew what to say or what to do –they had verbally crossed a line they hadn't been aware of even existing and now, both were lost as to what happened next.

Without giving it further thought, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into him, his closed lips landing right on hers, both holding their breath as they stared at each other.

Seconds ticked into a minute then two before they pulled apart, Marc not sure what to say as he stared at her in wide-eyed apprehension.

"That was…" Bailey reached up to touch her mouth, her own eyes wide as she took in a deep breath, "It was…disgusting."

"Yes," Marc agreed, both of them wiping their mouths simultaneously, their laughter easy and free as they moved away from each other, the awkwardness completely gone, "Definitely not doing that again –it was worst that Einstein licking my face in the morning."

"Hey," Bailey punched him on the shoulder as she adjusted the straps of her backpack over her shoulders, "It was no picnic on my side –like swallowing a spoonful of sugar…nauseating."

"That doesn't sound so bad to me," Marc grinned at her, laughing as she rolled her eyes at him, "Anyway, I'm thinking of asking Robyn out on a date."

Bailey gave him a wide eyed look of surprise, "You just kissed me –and now you're telling me about asking another girl out on a date?"

"Like you care?"

"I don't," Bailey took the offered bottle of water he had pulled out of his backpack, "Her friend's a bitch."

"I'm not asking her friend out."

They stared at each other for several seconds before bursting out in laughter, Bailey pulling out the map for their scavenger hunt, "Good thing too…I heard the playboy reputation can come back to bite you in the ass."

Marc laughed, adjusting his backpack before following after Bailey as they moved into the trees, "Well, there's only one way to find out if that's true, right?"

Bailey laughed at that, looking over her shoulder at him as she threw out her usual insult at him, "You're such a dick!"

* * *

_June 21st_

He could tell she was about to cry but he wasn't entirely sure why.

Putting his arms around her, he pressed a kiss on her cheek before speaking into her ear, "Are you okay?"

Rose nodded her head, swallowing back a couple of times before she spoke up, her voice slightly husky, "It's just…he's growing up so fast!"

Seth chuckled as he looked into the crib where their baby was sleeping, his little arms and legs splayed out in innocent abandon as his chest rose and fell with each deep breath he took, "It sort of tends to happen when you feed him."

Rose slapped his forearm before leaning back into him, her hazel eyes still bright with unshed tears, "I wish he could stay little…I would never have to let him go."

"We could lock him in the closet when he turns eighteen," Seth kept a straight face as he looked down at her, the twinkle in his brown-green eyes letting her know he was teasing, "He'll never be able to leave then."

"I know you're joking but I'm actually thinking it might be a good idea," Rose nibbled on her bottom lip as she reached into the crib to smooth his dark hair to the side, "He's already walking and for now, he's always walking towards me but I know there's going to be a time when he'll walk away from me…just thinking about it breaks my heart."

"Ah, baby," Seth tightened his arms around her, kissing her temple as he breathed in the unique blend of cherry blossoms and sea salt that was her and him, "He might walk away but he's always going to come back because you'll never stop being his mother."

"I can't believe he's one already," Rose let out a soft sigh, looking up into Seth's eyes with a soft smile, "We've been able to keep him alive for an entire year."

Seth chuckled at that, looking down at his son as he stirred, letting out a soft hum before settling back to sleep, "He hasn't made it easy…remember how he found the one socket I missed when childproofing the house?"

Rose closed her eyes at the memory, "I was so ready to kill you."

"How about you, forgetting to buckle him in the day you gave him his first bath in the tub," Seth nudged the back of her shoulder with his, "He slipped right under the water."

"Oh god," Rose let out a deep breath, smiling as she watched her baby's eyes blink open, his little mouth widening in a yawn as he stretched, "I couldn't stop apologizing to him."

"You wouldn't let him go all night," Seth grinned as Carlos sat up, his little face brightening in a smile as he caught sight of his parents, "But here he is…one year later."

"Ma," Carlos grabbed the railing of his crib, pulling himself up on his feet as he grinned at his parents, his sunny morning disposition always in correlation to having his parents there when he opened his eyes, "Ma!"

"_Hola nene hermoso,"_ Rose lifted him off the crib, bringing him into her chest as Seth wrapped his arms around them both, "_F__eliz cumpleaños__, __corazón__." ***Hello beautiful baby. Happy birthday***  
_

Carlos giggled, reaching up to touch his tiny fingers to his mama's mouth, "Ma!"

Seth laughed, leaning in to place a kiss on his son's forehead, "Today's your birthday, little man. What would you like for breakfast?"

"Ma!"

Seth laughed at that, gently ruffling his soft dark hair, "Of course you would want your mama for breakfast. That's what I had this morn –ouch! Rose!"

"You deserved it," Rose turned out of his arms, looking over her shoulder to give him a scolding look, "And you won't be getting_ that _for breakfast anytime soon."

"Oh, like your elbow wasn't punishment enough," he followed behind them, laughing as Carlos looked over his mama's shoulder at him, his hazel eyes twinkling as he sucked on his thumb.

"Sometimes I think you like it when I do that," Rose placed Carlos in his highchair, buckling him in before clicking the tray in place, "You say outrageous things in the presence of others way too often."

"Oh, come on. Like people don't know we do it," Seth pointed at his son as Rose prepped his breakfast of blueberries and applesauce, "The proof is right there."

"Seth," Rose glared at him as she placed the bowl of blueberries on Carlos' tray, "Don't say things like that in front of him."

"He's one, he doesn't understand what I'm saying," Seth reached out to pull her into his arms, easily thwarting her half-hearted attempts to pull away, "Besides, he's currently busy with his blueberries."

Rose laughed, her long hair tumbling over her shoulders as he nibbled on her neck, "Seth! Not in front of the baby."

"Baby's going to have to get used to his daddy kissing his mama," Seth tugged at her earlobe with his teeth before letting her go, giving her bottom a squeeze as he moved towards the stove to get stuff ready for waffles, "Among other things."

Rose shook her head, her face flushed as she opened the fridge to pull out milk and eggs, taking a package of sausage links and handing it all to him, "You're incorrigible. I shudder at the things he'll learn from you."

"Only the good stuff, baby."

"Kith," Carlos looked at his mama, holding out his tiny hand as he smiled up at her, "Kith?"

"See," Seth grinned as Rose laughingly dropped a kiss on Carlos' head, the little boy pleased as he went back to eating his blueberries, "He's already learning the good stuff."


	50. Chapter 48

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.  
**

**AN: Jillian, 2months/Bailey, 13yrs, 8thgrd/Vivi, 11yrs, 7thgrd/Nika, 11yrs, 7thgrd and as always, Gabe's age is next to the chapter.**

**I apologize it's taken me so long, these past two weeks have been hellish and depressing. But I've already started the next chapter so yay! Question, though...I'm in the mood for some good lemonade particularly with Rick and Leah...so if you're interested in that, leave a review and let me know.**

**Enjoy as you read and PLEASE REVIEW! I need the pick-me-ups.**

**Disclaimer: The prayers and the song are not mine. Just letting you know.**

**Chapter Forty-Eight (11yrs old)  
**_June 27__th__, Thursday_

Pulling the door opened, he stepped into the main foyer of the La Push Community Center, his eyes roaming over the decor before he headed towards the receptionist's desk, "Excuse me."

She looked up from the book she was reading, her dark brown eyes widening in recognition, "Yes. How can I help you?"

He grinned at her, reaching out to tap at one of the bright green leaves of the bamboo in a panda shaped coffee cup, "I'm looking for –"

"Lian," Seth walked across the wide foyer, fingers in the front pockets of his black slacks, "What are you doing here? Aside from causing Mikki's heart rate to go up, that is."

The receptionist laughed, tossing back her long black hair as she gave Seth a teasing smile, "You're sounding jealous."

Seth laughed as he reached his cousin's side, "Well, hell, Mikki. For the longest time, you've been sighing over me then my cousin shows up and you don't even offer me a lollipop."

Mikki rolled her eyes as she opened the side drawer of her desk, pulling out a rainbow lollipop, "Here, you big crybaby. Did you complete the paperwork?"

"Yes, you paper Nazi," Seth plucked the lollipop from her fingers, placing it into his pants' pocket, "I filled out every single highlighted portion, just like you told me too."

"Hey, not my fault you didn't do it right the first time around," Mikki handed Lian a lollipop, giving him a wink, "And this is for you, handsome."

Lian laughed as he took the offered sweet, "Thanks Mikki. My wife really likes these."

Mikki let out an exaggerated sigh of disappointment, "Go figure -I meet a gorgeous guy and it turns out he's married...such is the story of my life."

"Yeah, Cade won't appreciate hearing that," Seth pointed at her with a disapproving look, "He may be butt ugly but he's a good guy."

"Yeah," Mikki took the photo frame she had sitting next to her lucky bamboo, holding it up for Lian to see, "He may not be drop dead gorgeous but he puts up with my shenanigans so that makes him Prince Charming in my eyes. Now, if you two will excuse me, I gotta go back to studying for my microbiology test."

Seth and Lian chuckled, the cousins moving away from her desk, "So what are you doing here?"

"Rose told me you'd be here."

"I see," Seth stopped just inside the glass doors, the sun unusually bright in their part of the peninsula, "I had to fill out some paperwork."

Lian slipped the lollipop into the front pocket of his jeans, "What for?"

"Well, you know how old Quil Ateara passed away a month ago," Seth asked, continuing when his cousin nodded, "There's an opening in the council now, which normally would go to Quil -his grandson -but since he's heading to L.A. in August now that Claire is starting her freshman year at UCLA , he's declined the position. Which means nominations and guess who won?"

"You?"

Seth inclined his head, shifting his shoulders as he ran his fingers through his hair, "Yep...some of the more close minded people around here weren't too happy to see my name on the list because of Rose and the twins but...they're in the minority so..."

"Then you're going to be very understanding with my situation."

Seth cocked his head to the side, seeing a flare of anger flicker in Lian's eyes before it disappeared, "What's going on?"

Lian took a deep breath, pushing down the rising anger he'd been dealing with for most of the morning, "I went to Makah earlier today to put in a request for a naming ceremony for Jillian."

"Your dad's in the council."

"Yeah," Lian ran his fingers through his hair, his jaw tight as he looked out the floor to ceiling glass windows, "I don't know what he said to the rest of the council but they declined...being her mother isn't Native American -"

Seth interrupted, being able to see where this was going but completely shocked his Uncle Robert had actually gone that far, "You are."

"And they know that," Lian growled under his breath, gripping the back of his neck, "But my dad implied...he..."

"Lian," Seth clasped his cousin's shoulder, wishing he could punch his uncle, "I'm sorry, man."

"She's my daughter, Seth," Lian swallowed back the tears of rage that had been hovering in the surface since he left Makah, "She's my daughter and she deserves to know who her people are...she deserves every right and privilege that comes with being...how am I going to tell Julie, uh? How do I explain to her that my baby girl is being rejected by my family –my tribe –because my father thinks...goddammit!"

Seth looked over at Mikki, her nod as she stood up and quietly left the foyer letting him know she got his silent message for privacy. Turning his attention back to Lian, he gripped his cousin's upper arm in a show of support, "Lian...I have...an idea but it'll mean...it'll mean giving up your status as Makah...becoming Quileute...letting us claim Jillian as one of ours."

Lian wouldn't look at Seth, still working hard at fighting back the angry tears as he tried to breathe, attempting to find his inner peace, "How?"

"I'll talk to the rest of the council," Seth looked away as a tear escaped out of the corner of Lian's eye, studying the mural that covered the entire back wall of the foyer to give his cousin time to collect himself. The colorful mural was one of his own works -his submission had been chosen out of many back when he was a junior in high school and it had taken him most of the summer and senior year to complete the entire thing, "Billy, Sam, mom...they're all very understanding. I know they'll be in agreement once I explain the situation."

Lian watched the trees, their slight movement testament to the light breeze outside. If he were to do this...Lian knew despite his father's bigoted attitude, he would be hurt to have him deny not only his parentage but his very roots...he would be denying his own parents.

But Julie and Jillian were his family…he couldn't –_wouldn't _ –let anything hurt them, especially his father's disregard of the importance of them in his life.

If his father didn't care about him enough to care about his family then he shouldn't care about the effect of this decision on his father…but he did –it mattered because that was his father…and in denying his Makah heritage, he would be denying his father…

But Julie and Jillian…they were his family, his heart and soul, his very world…

"I understand if you need to time to think it through –"

"No."

"Okay," Seth didn't ask why, understanding the difficulty that came with having to choose between those that mattered, "I'm sure Julie will –"

"No," Lian interrupted Seth's assumption, shaking his head twice before looking over at his cousin, "I meant I don't need time to think about it…you talk to the council then what?"

Seth stared into his cousin's dark eyes, seeing in them the certainty of his decision, "Then we have a ceremony for you. Sam's head of the council so he'll ask –"

"_Who do you belong to?"_

_Lian stood before the four council members, Julie standing beside him with two month old Jillian cradled in her arms. Looking at his daughter's face, her sweet smile and bright purple eyes gave him the courage to answer._

"_I belong to no one. I have no people. I have no nation."_

"_What do you seek from us?"_

"_I seek a people. I seek a nation. I seek to belong."_

_Julie slipped her hand into his, Jillian babbling softly as she sucked on her fingers, the light breeze tugging at the soft black curls around her oval shaped face._

"_As your people and your nation, we seek allegiance –will you give to us what we seek?"_

_He squeezed Julie's hand, his thumb rubbing a circle against the inside of her wrist, "I will give my allegiance."_

_Sam turned to Billy, taking a folded woven blanket he was holding, turning to face Lian as he stepped forward, "We bring you into our fold…Julian Matthew Young, we are your people…we are your nation."_

_Lian took the folded blanket from Sam, Julie's hand between his shoulder blades as Jillian kicked out her chubby legs, the tiny beaded moccasins on her feet a gift from Aunt Sue._

_Sam stepped back as Billy moved forward, holding out his arms to take over now that his ceremony was complete and Jillian's was beginning._

_Taking Jillian from Julie's arms, Lian wrapped the blanket around her, kissing her soft curls before placing her in Billy's arms, her big purple eyes studying the weathered face above her for several seconds before she gave him a smile, tiny hands waving in exuberance._

_Smiling into her china doll features, Billy kept her secure in his hands as he held up slightly away from his chest, looking at Lian and Julie, "Who claims this child?"_

_Lian took Julie's hand in his, having explained to her what was about to happen, "I claim this child."_

"_What will you name this child?"_

"_I name this child Jillian Sying Young."_

_Billy lowered her until she was snuggled against his wide chest, her babbling bringing another smile to his face as he spoke, his voice deep and somber, "Listen to the words I speak, little one, and keep this prayer in your heart."_

_Jillian let out a soft squeal, her little fingers gripping one of Billy's braids and bringing it to her mouth, nose wrinkling when the edges came in contact with it._

_Billy cradled her in the crook of his arm, reaching up to gently tug his braid out of her tiny fist, "Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds. And whose breath gives life to all the world. Hear me, I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom._

"_Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people. Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock."_

_He smiled down at her as he caressed her soft cheek with one finger, her tiny hand taking hold of it and pulling it to her mouth, "I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother but to fight my greatest enemy –myself. Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes. So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my Spirit may come to you without shame."_

_The silence that followed his fading words was rift with emotion, Sue taking Jillian from Billy, the two month old letting go of his finger without complaint._

_Holding her high up on her shoulder, Sue placed a soft kiss on her forehead before she whispered the same blessing Harry had give their own two children, the same blessing she had bestowed upon her own grandchildren, "May the warm winds of heaven blow softly upon your house. May the Great Spirit bless all who enter there. May your moccasins make happy tracks in many snows, and may the rainbow always touch your shoulder."_

_Julie and Lian watched as she got passed from person to person, each holding her wrapped in the blanket as they whispered blessings of their own –Seth, Sam, Emily…Jared, Kim, Paul, Rachel –they were all there, forming a circle of unity around Lian and Julie, bringing them into the fold, welcoming them with open arms._

* * *

_July 10__th__, Wednesday_

Humming under her breath, she pulled open the top cupboard where mama kept the cereal, taking down the box of Cap'n Crunch.

Setting it on the table, she opened the fridge and took out the gallon of milk, tipping it at an angle to inspect the milk. Bradley had this disgusting habit of drinking straight from the gallon and sometimes there was backwash, which was really very gross.

Satisfied the only thing in there was milk, she closed the fridge and moved around the table to sit down, pouring a generous helping of sugary cereal into her bowl before pouring milk over it. Picking up her spoon, she kept humming to the song in her head as she ate her breakfast, bobbing in time with the drums.

ZZ Top at its best –totally bitching.

Looking up as the front door opened, she smiled at Brady as he walked in; swallowing her mouthful of cereal before asking, "Want cereal?"

Brady grinned at her, pulling out the chair next to her and turning it around to straddle it, "Sure."

Standing up, she grabbed a bowl and spoon for him, setting it on the table before sitting down to go back to her own cereal.

"What you up to this morning," Brady asked as he poured cereal and milk into his bowl, setting the box and gallon back in the middle of the table.

Shrugging, she spooned more cereal into her mouth, bobbing her head as she chewed slowly before swallowing, "We're working on the bridge for our track –Uncle Rick agreed to help us build it and all. We're using one of Uncle Embry's designs."

"Cool," Brady ate several spoonfuls of his cereal before looking over at her with a smile, finding amusing how she always seemed to have some song playing in her head, "What's the song for this morning?"

"Thug," Bailey grabbed the box and poured herself some more cereal, "ZZ Top."

"Bitchin' band."

Bailey grinned at him as she set the box aside, "I know, right? What I would give to go to a concert of theirs."

"Never gonna happen, Bales," Brady set his spoon aside, picking up his bowl to drain it of the leftover milk, "They're retired."

"Can't hurt to dream," Bailey went back to her cereal, reaching up to tuck a hank of hair behind her ear, the only sound in the small brightly lit kitchen the slurping of milk, "They might decide to do a come-back tour."

They were comfortable with each other, rarely hanging out since Bailey had her cousins and Brady had his schooling but whenever they did get the chance to be around each other, it was natural…normal really.

Bailey knew the stories, had heard them many times along with so many others but she also knew that nothing was expected of her –Brady was such a cool guy, laid back and easy going, never demanding anything of her, something that made her happy.

She was only twelve –well, about to be thirteen –and having to think any deep thoughts about imprints and ever after just wasn't her thing.

Nah, he was her friend, someone she knew she could always count on having her back and she liked it that way.

"Excited about your birthday weekend?"

Bailey's eyebrows lowered over her eyes as she turned her head to look at him, "Not much –we asked mom and dad to skip the birthday party so we could save the money for dirt bikes."

Brady pursed his lips in that weird way that Bailey knew meant he had a secret pertaining to her –he was a very lousy liar.

"There's no party, right," Bailey gave him an intense look, "'Cause I want that dirt bike."

"Well, it's not a party exactly…"

"What," Bailey dropped her spoon into the bowl, turning in her chair towards him, "Exactly is it?"

"Well," Brady grimaced as he avoided looking into her chocolate brown eyes –sometimes, he found it unfair how he couldn't keep anything from her just because, by some strange twist of fate, she was the very definition of who he was, "See…I didn't know your mom was planning it as a surprise."

"Planning what as a surprise," Bailey looked away from Brady as her mother walked into the kitchen, Lili tagging along behind her, still in her pajamas with the pink flying pigs stamped at random on the soft white cotton, "What's going on this weekend?"

Brown eyes –the ones all three of them had inherited –widened as she looked over at Brady, the poor guy lifting his shoulders in apology, "Sorry…didn't know she didn't know."

"Ma," Bailey frowned at her mother, "I don't want a party."

"Well, it's not exactly a party."

"Okay," Bailey let out a sigh of frustration, "If it's not a party, then what is it?"

"It's a girls' day…at the mall."

Bailey grimaced in distaste, "Mama, I love hanging out with you and Lili but the mall? Really?"

"Well," mom bit her lip for a couple of seconds before giving her a big smile, "Not me and Lili."

Bailey stared at her, horror slowly dawning in –there was only two girls she knew of that her mother would force on her but just in case, "Then who?"

"Bailey, you need friends your own age that are girls –"

"Who?"

"And you three seemed to be getting along at the Halloween party last year…"

"Oh god," Bailey slumped back into her chair, the horror and betrayal bright in her dark brown eyes, "The mall…with Vivi and Nika? You gotta be kidding me!"

"Bailey –"

"No," she shook her head with vehemence, "Mama, I don't like them…I don't like the mall…I don't want to spend my birthday with them _at_ the mall…that's like…hell twice over."

"Don't be so dramatic," mama gave her _the look_ but Bailey didn't care –she wasn't going to spend _her_ birthday at the _fucking _mall with two of the most girly girls to ever set foot on the damn earth, "They're nice girls and I think you should give them a chance."

"No."

"Bailey," mama stared at her, knowing very well what the tense jaw and stubborn flat line of her mouth meant, "I've already talked with Kim and Rose, Brady's agreed to drive you three there and back, I don't see why –"

"Because I don't want too."

"Bailey," her name came out in a sigh of frustration and although it made Bailey feel slightly guilty because her mom was the sweetest person ever, she wasn't going to give in –no way in fucking hell, "You're being unreasonable."

Bailey shrugged, the stubborn look on her face saying it all –it wasn't going to happen.

"Okay," mom let out another sigh before pulling out a chair and sitting down, Lili climbing up into her lap as she avidly watched her big sister digging in her heels, "What if I give you your birthday money to spend however you want?"

Bailey narrowed her eyes as she studied her mother's face, seeing nothing but sincerity –to spend her birthday money instead of putting it in a savings account… "How much?"

"Two hundred from me and your dad," she smiled at her daughter but didn't see her softening, "And a hundred from your Grandma Mae..."

Bailey thought it over…three hundred dollars…nope, not worth it.

"And another hundred from your Grandma Linda."

Well…four hundred dollars… "I can spend all of it on whatever I want?"

"Yes."

Bailey bit the inside of her cheek, rubbing a finger against the wooden surface of their kitchen table, looking over at Brady as he quietly observed the entire thing –he wasn't dumb, after all, and to take sides would have definitely been dumb.

"Well…" Bailey bit her bottom lip as she bounced her knee, "I guess…a few hours at the mall with them is tolerable…Okay, I'll do it."

Bailey felt slightly rotten when her bother beamed at her, "You'll have fun –give them a chance, Bailey, okay? I don't want you ignoring them."

"Well, for four hundred dollars, I suppose I can restrain myself from causing any harm –"

"Or saying anything rude."

"Okay, ma," Bailey let out a sigh, taking her bowl with the soggy cereal and standing up –she had to go meet the guys to get started on their bridge, "I'll be on my best behavior."

* * *

_July 12__th__, Friday_

"I'm gonna be in the arcade so whenever you three are ready to go, let me know."

The three girls watched Brady as he bounded off to the indoor mall arcade, the tension between them vibrating like a tuning fork.

Turning to look at each other, none of them knew what to do next.

Letting out a huffing sigh, Bailey looked at Vivi and Nika with a serious look that brooked no argument, "To make this trip tolerable for all of us you are to avoid three things."

She held up her fist, ticking off the items on her fingers, "Boys, clothes and make-up. Got it?"

Vivi and Nika nodded in unison, shifting on their feet as they looked at each other, Vivi finally asking her in a shy voice, "So what do you want to do?"

Bailey frowned as she stuck her hands into the back pockets of her skinny jeans, looking around the crowded Seattle mall, "Where's the music store?"

They both lit up at that, "The second level –they have the best collection of pop music ever."

Bailey arched her eyebrow at Nika, twisting her mouth a bit in distaste, "What about old school rock?"

"Marc gets all his music from there."

"Well, then…let's go."

The walk up to the second level was silent but not as tense as before, Bailey's eyes moving from one store window to the next, taking note of the ones that looked interesting. Once in the music store, they split up, Bailey heading over to the marked _rock_ section, hoping she could find ZZ Top's latest album, _La Futura_. She definitely enjoyed the rocking blues courtesy of Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and Dusty Hill.

Nika and Vivi headed to the _pop_ section, neither really looking for anything specific. Several minutes later, they met up at the listening center which, lucky them, had three empty high stools, the headphones hanging off hooks next to the little touch screens.

"What did you find," Vivi asked Bailey as they sat down, Nika in the middle.

Bailey held up the CD, excited beyond belief because it had been the last one, "ZZ Top. You?"

Vivi held up a CD of her own, "Snow Patrol. I've been wanting this one for a while now."

"Some of their songs are decent," Bailey shrugged as she took the headphones, plugging them into the audio port, "I prefer Coldplay, though…when it comes to British pop, that is."

Vivi chuckled at the dry humor in Bailey's words, picking up her own headphones as Nika tapped on her screen, flipping through the selection of music as she voiced her own preference, "Black-Eyed Peas –they're the best."

Bailey looked over at Nika, "The only thing that makes them good is Fergie."

"No argument there," Nika slipped on her headphones, still able to hear everything but in a muted tone, "She's ubber great."

"Oh god," Bailey dropped her head back in exasperation, "I'm hanging out with the PBS girls."

Nika flushed, biting her bottom lip as she picked the Jason Mraz icon, flicking through the song list, "Sorry."

"No, no," Bailey shook her head as she looked over at Nika, "It shouldn't take me long to get you using grown up words."

"Grown up words?"

"Yeah," Bailey tapped the screen connected to her headphones, rolling the volume dial up high so she wouldn't have to put them on, "Damn, shit, crap, fuck, sonofa –"

"Stop!" Vivi's face was flushed as she stared at Bailey in wide eyed shock, "You have a filthy mouth!"

"Yeah, I do," Bailey grinned at her, feeling pleased with herself, "It's what makes life colorful."

"It should," Nika gave her a disapproving frown, "You've practically painted the air blue."

Bailey laughed, finding a song she really enjoyed, leaning over Nika to tap on Vivi's screen, quickly finding the song before doing the same with Nika's, "This is the only pop song I really, truly like."

Nika and Vivi turned wide eyed towards her as the music filtered through their headphones, "Katy Perry?"

"Yep," Bailey lowered the volume a bit before slipping the headphones in place, "Best damn song ever."

Vivi flushed but she couldn't disagree –it was the best of Katy Perry's songs.

It didn't take long before they were bobbing their heads to the music, all three rocking side to side, Nika and Vivi jerking in surprise when Bailey stared to sing out loud, her eyes closed and a look of blissful abandonment softening her usually scowling face.

_This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, no  
This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, no  
Throw your sticks and stones  
Throw your bombs and blows  
But you're not gonna break my soul  
This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, no_

Nika and Vivi looked at each other in complete astonishment –Bailey had a beautiful singing voice, a rich soprano that throbbed with feeling. Without thinking of it, they joined her, their own voices sweet clear altos that served as back up to Bailey's richer tone.

_I just wanna throw my phone away  
Find out who is really there for me  
You ripped me off, your love was cheap  
Was always tearing at the seams  
I fell deep and you let me down  
But that was then and this is now_

_Now look at me  
This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, no  
This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, no  
Throw your sticks and stones  
Throw your bombs and blows  
But you're not gonna break my soul  
This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, no_

None of the three girls were aware of the small crowd gathering behind them, all three singing in perfect harmony as they finished off the best girl power song ever written –in their opinion, anyway.

_Now look at me, I'm sparkling  
A firework, a dancing flame  
You won't ever put me out again  
I'm glowing, oh woah oh  
So you can keep your diamond ring  
I never liked them anyway  
In fact, you can keep everything  
Yeah, yeah  
Except for me_

_This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, no  
This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, no  
Throw your sticks and stones  
Throw your bombs and blows  
But you're not gonna break my soul  
This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, no_

The applause came as soon as they finished singing, all three jumping in surprise, ripping their headphones off as they turned to stare wide-eyed at the small audience they had garnered during the impromptu performance.

Bailey was the first to start laughing, placing the headset back on the hook before she got off the stool, her ponytail swinging forward as she gave a little bow before moving towards the checkout counter, Vivi and Nika following behind her.

They paid for the CDs, all three giggling as they left the music store, not stopping until they reached the indoor fountain.

"That was somewhat embarrassing," Vivi reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, the rest of it in a French braid that ended midway down her back, "But kind of fun."

"Yup," Bailey chuckled, hooking her thumbs into her jeans' pockets, "So what next?"

"There's a bookstore around the corner."

Bailey's grimace had Vivi explain further, "They have a really good graphic novel selection."

"Mhm," Bailey shifted her weight from one foot to the other, some of the water droplets from the fountain landing on her dirt streaked Converse sneakers, "I suppose I could buy Brad's gift –sure, let's go."

They spend a good hour at the bookstore before making their purchases, heading to the food court afterwards, Vivi insisting on paying for their pizza and drinks, Bailey's eyebrows lowering as she watched her hand the cashier a shiny card, "You have a credit card?"

Vivi shook her head as she explained, "It's a money card. Tia Rosa puts money into the card every month for us to use."

"Marc has one?"

Vivi nodded, all three sitting at a booth, Bailey on one side, Vivi and Nika on the other. They ate their food, talking about music and books, Bailey surprised to find out she shared reading interests with Vivi.

"So what's next," Nika looked at her watch, surprised they've been at the mall for almost four hours and they were all still alive, "We have another couple of hours, I think."

Bailey slurped up the last of her Coke through the straw before setting the cup down, "I've got one more thing to buy but I don't know where I can find it…or if they even sell them here."

"What is it?"

She looked across the table at Vivi, reaching up to tuck her long bangs behind her ear, "A skateboard."

"Mosaik is in the first level," Nika answered as they stood up, dumping their trash before heading towards the stairs, "They have really awesome boards."

Bailey was surprised to hear the enthusiasm in her voice, "You like skateboards?"

Nika nodded, her shoulder length hair swinging forward as the bounded down the last steps, "Ian has a Buston Board –every once in a while, he lets me use it since Daddy won't let me get one of my own because it's too dangerous."

"That's what my dad said when I asked for one but since they also said I could buy whatever I want," Bailey gave them a grin smacking of satisfaction, "I'm getting a skateboard."

Vivi laughed, shaking her head at Bailey's brilliant circumvention of the rules, "You're a troublemaker, Bailey."

"Damn right I am."

* * *

Her mother had tricked her.

Filling up the glass with water, she sat down at the kitchen table, jaw hurting from grinding her teeth in anger for the past three hours. Had she been told the girls' day included a night of giggling among sleeping bags and pillows in her living room floor, she would have said _hell the fuck no._

Four hundred dollars was _not_ enough to put up with that girly shit. Unfortunately for her, dad had been right next to mom when she was told about the rest of her birthday celebration so she hadn't been able to bitch about the injustice of it all.

God, it was like her mother didn't know her!

Draining the glass of water, she let out a heavy sigh as she glared down at the table, able to hear Vivi and Nika whispering in the living room –probably talking about what a bitch she was.

Not that she cared.

A slight noise had her looking up, eyebrows lowering over dark eyes as Vivi shyly moved into the kitchen and pulled a chair out across the table from her to sit down, "I was hoping we could talk."

"About what?"

Bailey watched as Vivi bit down on her bottom lip, those strange colored eyes of hers dropping to study long fingered hands, "I know you hate me –"

"I don't _hate_ you," Bailey muttered, both knowing she was lying…in all honesty, she could somewhat tolerate her, in small doses but today hadn't been a small dose –at all.

"Well, you don't like me."

Bailey lifted a shoulder without any embarrassment or remorse for that matter, "You already knew that."

"Well, it's just that…" Vivi slowly turned the salt shaker in tiny circles on the table, not looking at her but at the patters she was drawing, "You're such good friends with my brother and…I just thought…"

"Look," Bailey let out a sigh of aggravation as she slouched into her chair, "Marc is…did he tell you about what happened to Einstein?"

"Yes."

"Something like that –it can really forge something strong despite differences. I just…I guess seeing Marc being…human, helped me see who he is despite of what he is…know what I mean?"

Vivi nodded, her long hair in braids down the sides of her face, "You managed to look past the surface…into his heart and soul."

Bailey's lips hitched into a small smile, "Which he insists he doesn't have. I just…I won't lie to you and say it doesn't matter anymore –what he is, that is. It comes natural to me, to feel this…need to destroy when I'm around him…and you. But I hold back because, well…you're not all bad."

"Are you including me in that assessment?"

Bailey dropped her eyes to the table, sheepishly answering, "Yeah, I suppose…you try really hard to be something you're not. I guess…in a way, that's something that makes you human."

"I am human."

"Only half of you," Bailey looked up to stare into Vivi's eyes, her words heavy with serious intent, "I know you fight the part of you that could take away your humanity much like Marc does but it's still not enough."

Vivi let out a sigh of disappointment, nibbling on her bottom lip for a few seconds before letting it go, "We're never going to be friends."

"No."

The silence was heavy, throbbing with so many emotions –regret, sadness, exasperation… "But I suppose if I was able to look beyond what Marc is, I could do the same with you…we'll never be friends but maybe…maybe I could learn to respect you as a person. Would that be enough?"

Vivi's smile was sad yet sincere, her eyes bright as she stood up and pushed her chair back in place.

"It would have to be, wouldn't it?"


	51. Chapter 49

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Claire, 18yrs, freshman at UCLA/Vivi, 11yrs, 7thgrd/Marc, 13yrs, 8thgrd/Tyra, 4yrs, Kinder/Xavier, 9mths and as always, Gabe's age is next to the chapter and he's currently a seventh grader at Forks Middle School**

**Chapter Forty-Nine (11yrs old)  
**_First Week of August_

_**Quil James Ateara Sr.  
**__Born March 3__rd__, 1905  
Died May 10__th__, 2003_

_Hold on to what is Good  
Even if it's a handful of Earth  
Hold on to what you Believe  
Even if it's a tree that Stands by itself  
Hold on to what you must Do  
Even if it's a long way from Here  
Hold on to your Life  
Even if it's easier to let Go  
Hold on to my Hand  
Even if someday I'll be Gone away from you_

The breeze moved through the quiet, picking up the first fallen leaves of autumn, tumbling and dancing across the headstone studded grounds, a soft mourning song carried along with it.

Letting out a sigh, Quil slipped a hand into the pocket of his jeans, swallowing with difficulty pass the knot in his throat as the memories of his grandfather washed over him, his heart beating a heavy aching rhythm behind the cage of his ribs. It had been expected what with his grandfather being so old yet, the slamming pain that had overwhelmed him had been unexpected and he realized no matter how prepared one tried to be, death was never easy to handle.

He fought back the tears that always threatened when he thought of his grandfather –it had been hard for him because to Quil, he had been the last living link to his family.

"Do you think he'd be mad," a soft voice broke into his reminiscing, a soft hand sliding into his as her presence blanketed him with quiet comfort, "If he knew you weren't taking his place in the council?"

"He knew," Quil looked down to smile into her beautiful eyes, a soft velvet brown that wrapped around the hurt and soothed it, "The night before he…before he went to sleep, he hugged me –told me I was a great man no matter what I did or where I went because I was filled of all good things."

"Good things, uh," Claire smiled as her eyes danced, wrapping her arms around his as she rested her head on his bicep, "I can attest to that."

Quil's smile was sincere despite its brevity, his eyes turning back to his grandfather's resting place, "He hugged me…whispered that blessing in my ear before going to bed. It's why I had it carved into his stone."

Claire rubbed her cheek against his arm, letting out a soft sigh as she watched the young grass glimmer with dew as the sun continued to climb its way up the pale blue sky, "He was a great grandfather to you."

"He was a great father," Quil pulled out the hand in his pocket, reaching across his wide chest to softly stroke his fingers across her jaw, pressing a kiss against the top of her head, "The only father I ever knew. I never really knew what happened to my own father except he left when I was very young but grandpa stepped in, gave me what I needed. Then, my mom died in a car crash when I was five…he was there –he was mother and father to me."

"He gave you the best of what truly matters," Claire's chin length dark hair danced around her face, the silky strands sliding over the back of his hand in a soft caress, "He was very proud of you, Quil. You are his legacy and he knew there was no better way to become immortal than to raise a wonderful man like you."

Finally looking away from the pewter gray stone, he gazed into her beautiful eyes, turning to face her as he cupped his hands over her soft cheeks, "You make me that way, Claire. Without you…I'd have no purpose or destiny to fulfill. Grandpa knew that…he loved you for it. He once told me how lucky I was to be able to see myself grow, mature, improve…all of it by watching time touch you."

Claire swallowed back the urge to cry, her eyes bright with unshed tears as she wrapped her fingers around his wrists, tilting her head back to press her lips against his.

It was a soft kiss, like many of their kisses, but it still packed a hard punch in the solar plexus, Quil fighting to breathe past the sensation of spinning out into space.

Touching the tip of his tongue against her bottom lip, he tilted his head to the side, fusing their mouths together for a deeper exploration, neither rushing the other but simply enjoying this new phase to their lifelong relationship. Seconds slowly turned into minutes, the breeze wrapping around them to hold the two together, the sun shining down to spotlight the ending of one era and the beginning of the next.

Breaking apart, the tip of their noses brushed as they drowned in each other's eyes, their breathing slowly returning to regular as the hard beating of their hearts settled into a slow rhythm heavy with promises of more.

"We should go," Claire whispered, her breath warm against the moistness of his lips, her face flushed as she steeped in newfound emotions and sensations awakened by the man before her, "We've got a long drive ahead of us."

Quil nodded, dropping a playful kiss on the tip of her nose, "Give me a couple of minutes alone, okay?"

Claire nodded, reaching up to place her small hand against the side of his face, her thumb tracing his eyebrow, "I'll wait in the car."

"Thank you."

He watched her walk through the rows of the cemetery, every step she took leading him to his future with her –after all, wherever she went, he would follow.

Turning back to his grandfather's headstone, he stepped close enough to crouch down and touch his fingers to the cold marble, tracing the letters of his name, "I'll miss you, old man. You have been the best example of what a real man is about…thank you for giving me a home and a place to belong, for giving me unconditional love no matter what I did."

A low mournful note spun along with the swirling leaves, Quil looking up to see a dove push off the branch of a nearby tree, its trilling call sad yet hopeful as it flew into the horizon. Patting the stone twice, he pushed himself up to his full height of six foot three, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "I promise I'll come back…I don't know when but I will come back."

Giving the headstone one last look, he turned on his heel and followed the path Claire had walked earlier, his heart light within him as the future unfurled before him.

* * *

_First Day of Seventh Grade, August_

Taking a deep breath, she surveyed the middle school building, hugging her binder tight against her chest, nerves fluttering in her stomach. Even though Forks was a small town of sorts, there were still enough kids Vivi didn't know, having been part of a class that was kept together every passing school year. Now, though, they were all going to be mixed –all three sixth grade classes from Forks Elementary.

She supposed it was a good thing because she would make new friends, get to know new people yet, she supposed, like every person to walk the earth, change made her apprehensive. Taking another deep breath, she finally moved across the front courtyard, giving shy smiles to anyone who looked at her. A redheaded boy opened the door for her, grinning when she gave him a soft thank you before following behind her.

She headed towards the lockers, unsnapping her brown leather binder to look on the inside cover where she had her schedule, locker number and the combination for the school supplied lock. Once at her locker, she closed the binder before taking the lock in her hand, long fingers with pale pink polish on rounded nails spinning the black dial, carefully stopping at each number.

Stopping at the last one, she tugged at the lock but to her surprise, it didn't open. Starting back at zero, she tried again with the same results.

"What am I doing wrong," she muttered to herself as she opened the binder again to make sure she had the right combination –yep, she did so why was the lock not opening?

Trying again, she let out a frustrated huff when it remained stubbornly locked.

"Here, let me help you."

She smiled up into blue eyes, somewhat surprised at the height of difference that hadn't been there before, "When did you get so tall?"

Gabe grinned down at her, shifting the strap of his backpack higher up his shoulder, "Over the summer. We didn't see each other much so you missed it."

Vivi chuckled, a tinge of pink touching her cheeks, "Marc said you guys were working on the ultimate bike track."

"And he told me you were putting in extra hours at the dance studio," his smile dimmed slightly as he lifted the lock, "What's the combination?"

Vivi opened her binder, pulling out the piece of paper where she had written it down, "When did Marc tell you that?"

Gabe spun the face of the lock, stopping at each number before pulling it, the mechanism giving a snick then releasing, "The couple of times I came over to see if you wanted to get some ice cream with me."

"What," Vivi stared up at him in shock, his words going a long way to smooth out the hurt she had been feeling throughout the summer at his absence, "He didn't tell me that."

Gabe frowned, pulling the lock out and opening the metal door for her, "I didn't think he wouldn't –I mean, I know he doesn't like me being around you but…"

"I'll talk to him," Vivi stuffed her beige messenger bag into the locker, being they would be receiving their books in class so she didn't have anything in the canvas bag at the moment, "He won't do it again."

"Nope," Gabe leaned his shoulder against the metal lockers, giving her a one-side smile, "Next time, I'll just tell Uncle Seth. So what classes do you have?"

Vivi smiled as she opened her binder again, pulling out the half-sheet that contained her schedule and handing it to him before closing the locker, taking the lock he held out to her while he looked over the six classes she would be taking for the next year.

"We have history before lunch and biology after. Three hours together –pretty cool, uh," Gabe returned her schedule back as she nodded, crossing his arms over his chest, the black t-shirt he wore stretching over shoulders Vivi didn't remember being that wide, "My math class is near your English class. I can walk you there after biology."

"That would be nice," Vivi grinned up at him as she spun the face to her lock, wanting to make sure she could open it but when she pulled, it stayed locked, "Why can't I open this thing?"

"You're doing it wrong," Gabe took the lock from her, stepping close enough for their shoulders to touch as he showed her, "Its three turns to the right, two to the left then one to the right."

Vivi fought back the fluttering butterflies in her stomach, her face heating up despite her attempts at not showing how much he affected her, "Let me try it again."

He watched as she carefully spun the dial, lining up each number with exact precision before moving to the next one, her smile worth the wait when the lock snapped open, "There you go."

Vivi laughed, locking it again before turning to face him, hugging her binder to her chest, "Thanks."

"No problem," Gabe grinned as he pointed over her shoulder, "My locker is right across that way so if you need help with the lock again, I'll be nearby."

"Good to know."

"So I have football try-outs after school today," Gabe gave her a big grin, his eyes looking into hers because he couldn't look away, "You should come…cheer me on. There's cheerleading try-outs too, if you're interested."

Vivi shook her head before tilting it to the side, "I'm a dancer, not a cheerleader but I'll go cheer for you at your try-outs."

"Sweet," his grin widened which Vivi had thought impossible, her heart beating hard inside her chest as he reached out to put his arm around her shoulders, "I'll walk you to your math class."

"No need too. I'll walk her there."

Gabe looked over his shoulder to find Marc standing a couple of feet behind him, dark brown eyes staring pointedly at him, "I've already offered."

Vivi spoke up before the two of them started a fight in the middle of the hallway, "Gabe, I'll see you in history. I have to talk to my brother…about his habit in trying to dictate my life."

Gabe frowned, eyes still on Marc but despite the older boy's dark scowl, he gave Vivi's shoulders a squeeze before dropping his arm, walking away but not without bumping Marc's shoulder with his in a silent message that told him it wasn't over.

Vivi watched him go, noticing how the other girls coming and going through the hallway would crane their necks to get a peek at him, whispering and giggling amongst themselves and although she didn't like it, she couldn't blame them.

Gabriel Michael Laskaris was, after all, very cute.

The first bell rang, breaking into her thoughts as she turned to look at Marc, "You need to stop trying to control my life."

"What? I do no such thing."

"Really," she cocked her eyebrow at him as people moved around them, the chorus of voices and slamming lockers a welcome back to school song everyone was familiar with, "Why didn't you tell me Gabriel came over during the summer to ask me out for ice cream?"

Marc's face was impassive, no guilt showing at having been caught, "It slipped my mind."

"Sure it did," Vivi moved down the hall towards her math class, Marc walking beside her, "Don't let it happen again."

"Okay," Marc kept his hands in his jeans' pockets, Vivi noticing he was getting his equal share of looks from girls but her brother looked like he didn't notice any of them, "Is Tia Rosa picking you up?"

"No," Vivi stopped outside her classroom, turning to look up at her brother –he was at least three inches taller than her now, "I'm going to Gabriel's football try-outs. Do you have baseball practice?"

He didn't say anything about her plans but she knew he didn't like it, the muscle in his jaw ticking a couple of times before he answered her question, "No. Robyn and I are going for ice cream after school."

"Oh right," Vivi gave him a teasing smile as kids moved around them, several walking into her classroom, "Your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," Marc admonished her, the flush creeping up his face letting her know he wasn't telling the truth, "We're just…friends."

"Right," Vivi looked away from him when the teacher stepped out of the classroom, giving the older man a smile before turning to look at her brother, "I'll see you at home, then."

Marc gave her a wave before walking off, his own class in the second floor.

Vivi moved between the individual desks, feeling a bit self-conscious as the other students in her class watched, being she was the last one to come in.

Finding her desk, her eyebrows lowered as she slowly sat down, setting her binder on top of the math book on the desk before picking up a tiny origami flower sitting on the upper right corner, the center yellow and the creased petals white. It clicked several seconds later what it was –a daisy.

Smiling, she tucked it into her pencil case which was inside the binder, looking up as the teacher started talking, _Mr. Reese_ written across the top of the blackboard.

And so began the first day of seventh grade.

* * *

_A Month Later_

"He's a seven."

"Mhm, no, more like a six point five."

Vivi moved across the stage, dropping her bag at her feet as she asked the girls sitting on the edge of the stage, "What are you doing?"

One of them, a blond with gray eyes named Sandra who preferred being called Sandy, looked up to give her a smile as she explained, "We're rating the guys."

"What," Vivi wasn't sure exactly what she meant by that, the strawberry blond sitting next to her holding up a spiral notebook as she expounded, "We have a scale of one to ten –one being never date him and ten do anything to keep him."

"That's…" Vivi was shocked at what they were saying, wondering where the hell they had gotten the idea, "Horrible."

"No, no," Sandy shook her head, her pixie style haircut framing a heart shaped face, "It's necessary. We're in middle school now so it's important to start working on your social status and the guy you date is a very important factor."

"For example," Helen –the strawberry blond –pointed across the auditorium towards a small group of boys that were part of their drama class, "The guy with the Superman shirt –he's a one."

"You don't want to date him," Sandy lifted a shoulder in a gesture of dismissal as she pulled at the frayed edges of her denim skirt, black tights underneath keeping her legs warm, "Unless you're desperate but then, everyone will know you're desperate and that'll make you a social piranha."

"What if he's sweet and smart?"

"That doesn't matter," Helen jotted something in the notebook, swinging her jean clad legs, the sequins in her black flats sparkling under the stage lights that lit up the auditorium, "Now, the guy over there –he's a seven."

"Six point five."

Helen let out an aggravated sigh, "Maybe to you but I think he's a seven so I can smile at him so he'll know I'm available."

Vivi didn't really know what to say –every word coming out of their mouths absolutely ridiculous and she knew they were not the kind of girls to be friends with.

"He_-llo_," Helen's back straightened as she pulled back her shoulders, the t-shirt she wore tight across her chest, Vivi feeling a sharp twinge of envy –the girl was her age and yet, she had noticeable breasts while her owned remained stubbornly inconspicuous, "Check out the guy at the back –totally a ten."

Vivi looked across the seats to the three sets of double doors in the back of the 'house' –their drama teacher had given them a list of terms to memorize by Monday –to see the silhouette of someone tall with wide shoulders and when he moved deeper into the auditorium, she was able to see who it was.

Gabriel.

"Totally a ten," Sandy whispered as she leaned closer to Helen, "Do you know who he is?"

Helen shook her head, setting the notebook beside her before tugging at the hem of her t-shirt –probably to make it tighter.

Vivi picked up her gym bag –she had dance class at Port Angeles today –as Gabe ambled down the side aisle, his smile making her stomach flip.

Despite their stupid reasons, she did have to agree –he was definitely a ten.

"Hey Viv," Gabe reached the stage as Vivi moved around the other two girls, both of them staring up at her in disbelief, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Vivi was about to crouch and jump off the stage but Gabe reached up for her, his hands around her waist causing a flush to invade her entire body, her own hands shaking as she placed them on his shoulders.

Helping her hop down to stand next to him wasn't much of an effort, Gabe stuffing his hands into his jacket's pocket as soon as she was on her feet, not wanting her to see how bad they were shaking, "I was thinking we could stop for ice cream on our way home. Sound good?"

"Sure," Vivi smiled up at him, both hands holding tight to the strap over her shoulder, "Marc's hanging out with Robyn so he'll probably not be home."

Gabe gave her that heart stopping smile, Vivi hearing the two girls behind her let out not so subtle sighs, "I know –that's why I told Coach I had detention so I could skip today's practice."

They both laughed, moving together up the aisle towards the back doors, their arms occasionally brushing, their eyes looking over at each other every so often as they kept up their easy conversation.

To Vivi, it was the best ever…definitely a ten out of ten moment.

* * *

They were holding hands and although it felt nice, it made him nervous because all he could think about was the pulsing blood at her wrist under his thumb.

"So I was thinking we could go to the movies tomorrow," Robyn smiled up at him, her grey-blue eyes bright as the sun hit her face, making her long lashes look like spun gold, "Dad can drive us up to Port Angeles then pick us up afterwards."

"Your dad doesn't like me," Marc looked across the parking lot as they headed towards the front street that would lead them to her house –she lived just a couple of blocks from the middle school and as was his custom since they started 'dating' over the summer, he walked her home once school let out.

"Don't be silly," Robyn bumped her shoulder against his, reaching up to tuck a hank of blond hair behind her ear, "Dad likes you just fine."

Marc chuckled because that wasn't true. Every time he came over to her place to see if she wanted to go out on her bike or for ice cream or just to head down to First Beach for a swim, the guy would glare at him, grey-blue eyes she had inherited from him drilling right into him…then there was the one time Marc had linked up to his thoughts just out of curiosity confirming his suspicion.

Not only did Robyn's dad not like him, but the guy actually contemplated murder every time he got too close to Robyn.

He was just thirteen, what the hell did the man expect him to do to her? Yeah, he knew about sex –thanks to that god-awful book Aunt Leah had lend him –but there was no way he was going to be doing any of that anytime soon…especially when all he could think about whenever she got too close to him was the smell of her blood as it rushed through her veins, the faint color of them under her soft skin distracting him in a way that made him angry at himself.

"So are you okay with the movie idea," Robyn asked as she looked up at him, trying to keep from sighing out loud –she still couldn't believe she was holding hands with Marc de Lune…drop dead gorgeous and one of the sweetest guys ever.

He always held doors for her, let her go in first and whenever they went for ice cream or for a burger, he would pay without asking if she wanted to pay for herself. He never pushed her around, never touched her inappropriately –heck, he'd yet to give her a proper kiss on the mouth, always kissing her cheek whenever he dropped her off at home.

He was always a true gentleman –and it was driving her crazy.

Her mother had warned her about teenager hormones and all that but to Robyn, she would love nothing more than to experience them with this boy –no one else would do but him.

"I'll ask Tia Rosa," Marc stated as they turned the corner, his sharp eyesight able to see that her dad's car was missing –he wasn't home from work yet.

Awesome.

"She always goes to the gallery on Saturdays so she could drive us there…and your dad can pick us up."

Robyn fought back the urge to jump and squeal –an hour or so in a dark theater with the boy of her dreams was just what she wanted but she couldn't start acting like a stupid little girl over it, "Call me when you talk to her then I'll tell my Dad."

"You should probably ask your dad first," Marc stopped outside her house, turning to face her, his body tightening when she wrapped her arms around his middle, "I know Tia Rosa will say yes."

"Okay," Robyn stared up at him, wondering what he would think of her if she asked him to kiss her, "I'll call and let you know, then."

Placing his hands flat against the middle of her back, he could feel the heat of her skin through the thin sweater she was wearing, her sweet breath cool against his mouth as he stared into her eyes. She was beautiful…and sweet and smart and awesome at those bike tricks but if he wasn't careful, her father was going to kill him –especially right now with his body reacting the way it was.

_Just hormones…it's just hormones,_ he repeated to himself inside his head, watching as she licked her bottom lip, the tip of her pink tongue enticing him without his realization, _Oh God…I am so fucking dead._

He didn't realize he had been lowering his head until he touched her soft lips, a shudder going through his body as she touched the tip of her tongue against his bottom lip.

He opened his mouth over hers, being careful her lips and tongue didn't touch his teeth, the taste of her exploding on his tongue as he slid it over hers, exploring the soft skin inside her bottom lip before forging forward.

The sound of an approaching car had them breaking apart, Marc grateful he had changed from his baseball uniform –the baggy cargo pants he was wearing doing an okay job at hiding the current embarrassing situation he was in.

They watched as the car pulled up into Robyn's driveway, her older brother Stephen –he was a freshman at SU stepping out of the driver's side.

"I should go," Robyn tugged at the hem of her hip hugging sweater she was wearing, surreptitiously rubbing her sweaty palms against the faded denim of her jeans, "I'll call you and let you know about the movie."

"Alright."

* * *

_Thursday, Second Week of October_

The middle school nurse had called sometime after one in the afternoon, stating Vivi wasn't feeling well and if they could come pick her up.

Rose was gone on a grocery store run, taking Carlos with her to give Seth quiet time in which he could finish his current design, the deadline a month away. Despite that, he had taken his car keys soon after hanging up, arriving at the school and signing Vivi out within half an hour.

She was now sitting next to him, quietly staring out the window at the passing scenery, her arms wrapped around her middle.

"Your tummy still hurting," Seth asked, looking away from the road in time to see her nod, turning left onto their street as he asked, "You sure you don't want me to take you to the clinic?"

Vivi shook her head, unsnapping her seat belt as soon as he set the Mustang to park, grabbing her messenger bag and getting out of the car, walking fast up the driveway and into the house. Seth wasn't sure what was going on but he didn't like seeing her like that, mouth tight with pain, her eyes just shy of crying.

Walking into the kitchen, he watched her head up the stairs, Einstein hot at her heels.

Seth waited several minutes before going up after her, finding Einstein whining as he pawed the closed bathroom door, the sound of crying making his gut twist, "Come on, Ladybug –if you feel that bad, let me take you to the doctor."

"No," Vivi's muffled voice came through the door, the sound of running water filling the silence.

"Vivi," Seth leaned against the frame, softly rapping his knuckles on the bathroom door, "Just tell me what's wrong, baby. I'll fix it."

"I want Tia Rosa."

"She's at the grocery store," Seth looked down at Einstein, the bluetick hound dog looking up at him, brown eyes filled with sadness, "Let me help you, Vivi."

"No –you can't," Vivi hiccuped, turning the water off, "Call Granma Sue…please."

Letting out a sigh, he fished his phone out of the pocket of his jeans, speed dialing his mother as he walked further down the hallway so she wouldn't hear the conversation.

"Hi Seth!"

"Hey mama," Seth ran his hand through his hair, turning at the sound of Einstein pawing the door as he let out a high pitched whine, "Listen, the school nurse called to let me know Vivi wasn't feeling well but she refuses to see a doctor and is now locked in the bathroom –she won't tell me what's wrong."

A sight made its way through the line, leaving Seth wondering what he did wrong, "_Tell her I'll be right there –do you have chocolate in the house?_"

"I saw it on Rose's grocery list so I'm assuming no."

"Okay, then give me thirty minutes. I'll take care of it."

He stayed outside the bathroom door, occasionally pleading to help but Vivi refused to open the bathroom door.

Just as he was ready to force his way into the bathroom, Einstein bounded towards the stairs with a bark, disappearing for a few seconds before returning behind his mother, the doggy grin on his face making it clear be believed to have brought her in himself.

"Mom," Seth leaned down to kiss her cheek, running his fingers through his hair, "She won't let me in to help her."

"Because you can't," Sue patted his arm before knocking on the door, a shopping bag in one arm, "At least not right now but don't worry –I'll let you be the hero after I talk to her, okay?"

"Uh," Seth stepped back as Sue called through the door, the clicking sound of the lock allowing her entrance, "Right, okay then. I'll go make dinner."

Heading down the stairs, he walked into the kitchen, Einstein following close behind him, tail wagging as he avidly watched Seth move around the kitchen, intent on making Vivi's favorite meal for dinner. A good hour later –in which Seth heard the bathroom door open, followed by Vivi's bedroom door closing –his mom came down the stairs, giving him a smile as she folded the plastic bag before tossing it into the recycling bin Emmie insisted for everyone at the reservation to have, "All taken care of. She's tucked in bed with a heating pad and I gave her some Midol for the cramps."

"What's wrong with her?"

The look on his mother's face said exactly what she was thinking before she voiced it, "Didn't realize I raised a dummy for a son. You have a sister –a _wife._ Think about it."

"What does Lea –oh," Seth grimaced as he covered the pot of pasta, washing the red bell peppers before setting them on the cutting board, "Is she supposed to be getting _that_ now? She's only eleven."

"Some girls get their period at a younger age."

Seth's grimace deepened as he threw the sliced bell peppers into the salad bowl, "No need to say the p-word. So what now? Do I have to go…buy her stuff?"

"No," she rolled her eyes at him, laughing at his scowl before she took the chocolate bar she had placed on the counter before going upstairs and handed it to him, "I already got her what she needs except for this."

"Chocolate?"

"The cure to menstrual blues," she laughed at his shudder, leaning down to rub Einstein's ears, "Give her that and you'll be her hero."

"Okay," Seth nodded, checking to make sure the pasta was on simmer, the ingredients for the Alfredo sauce on the sideboard but he didn't need to worry about that until the end, "Can you keep an eye on the pasta?"

Sue nodded, moving across the kitchen as she took stock of everything he had out, "Are you making grilled chicken Alfredo?"

"Yep," Seth gestured to Einstein for him to stay put, the bluetick hound going into the living room to lie down under the coffee table, "Its Vivi's favorite."

"Look at you," Sue grinned over her shoulder at him, the pride in her eyes making him pull his shoulders back just like when he had been a kid seeking her approval, "Making Vivi's favorite dinner…you just might survive the incoming teenage angst that comes with having a girl in the house."

Seth didn't say anything, especially because what he really wanted to do was bemoan his misfortune –he sure hoped he would never have to go through this again. Once outside her bedroom door, he gently rapped his knuckles against the white wood, waiting until she called out for her to come in.

The room was dim, the only light her bedside lamp, a pale pink chenille blanket over her as she lay curled up on her side in the middle of the bed, "Hey Ladybug…is the heating pad working?"

Vivi nodded, her long hair draped over the pillow as she gave him a sweet smile, "I'm sorry I didn't let you help –"

"Hey, it's alright. You needed a woman's help, no hard feelings about that," he carefully sat on the side of the bed, not wanting to jostle her as he held up the chocolate bar, "Look what I brought you. I'm told chocolate makes everything better."

She let out a soft giggle, his chest loosening as she took the chocolate bar from him with a small smile. Seth caught sight of Emmett's ear –she had him tucked in between her chest and drawn up legs, "It does make everything better. Thank you _tio_."

"No problem, Ladybug," he leaned over, pressing a kiss against her temple, "You know I'd do anything for you, right?"

Vivi smiled at him, reaching out to give his hand a squeeze, "I know, it's just…I was embarrassed to tell you what was wrong."

"Why? I share a room and bathroom with your aunt and believe me…this has come up before…several times before, as a matter of fact. Mostly when I do or say something stupid and she bites my head off when she normally wouldn't and then, she cries and I have no idea what the hell to do to make it stop."

Vivi giggled as she tore the foil off the chocolate, breaking a small piece and putting it in her mouth, "Now you'll have two of us doing that."

"Didn't think of that," Seth gave her a teasing frown, his brown-green eyes dancing as he tapped a finger against her nose, "At least there's three guys –four if you count Einstein. That should balance out the crazy."

He watched with horror as her gold-brown eyes filled with tears, a sniff accompanying her words, "I'm not crazy."

"I'm sorry –I didn't mean it that way. I shouldn't have –"

He stopped mid-apology as she started laughing at him, "Gotcha!"

"Not cool, Vivi –totally not cool."

* * *

_First_ Sunday of November

_3:23AM_

The lack of a moon had the stars shining bright against the velvet darkness of the sky, the Milky Way cutting a swath from the horizon up to the pinnacle of the sky before it melted into a field of stars. The soft breeze moved through the pine trees, bringing with it the comforting smells of moist forest ground and the ocean, the lightweight curtains over the opened window gently dancing to a silent song heard by nature alone.

Humming her own song under her breath, she gently rocked her baby to sleep, the beautiful rocking chair silent as it cradled them both. Leah watched her baby's blue eyes hid behind fluttering eyelids, his little mouth relaxed as he drifted off to sleep. The hot spurt of love spreading thought her was something she felt every time she looked at one of her children but it didn't make it any less surprising…any less breathtaking whenever it erupted into her conscious.

Letting out a sweet smelling burp, Xavier settled deeper into her chest, his head on her shoulder as tiny fingers kneaded the side of her neck, a self-soothing thing he did right before falling into a deep sleep.

He was turning out to be a quiet one, just like Zak, hardly ever crying for attention yet pleased whenever he got it, especially from his sister Tyra, who never strayed far from wherever he may be.

Every time she called out for him –she had nicknamed him Avy –his little face would brighten and he couldn't keep still, wiggling as he waved his arms with exuberance. She loved entertaining him or simply watching him as he slept, just as enthralled with him as Zak had been with her.

The first day of kindergarten had been hell, Tyra throwing a tantrum, screaming she didn't want to go to school without her baby, her brown-green eyes overflowing with tears even after Rick took her into the room she shared with Emmie to explain how things were going to be.

It wasn't until after Leah promised to bring Xavier along when school let out –every day –when Tyra finally agreed to let her mother wash her face and brush her hair before placing her in the van along with the others going to school.

It was for that reason that Leah Rick's no moon nights were no longer child-free, Xavier still not old enough to be away from his parents and Tyra refusing to be away from her Avy. So here they were on their no-moon night, Tyra asleep in her room, Rick in their bed and she had her baby asleep in her arms as the curtains fluttered around the opened window.

As for their other children –Gabriel and Emmie were staying with Seth and Rose while the twins, along with Zak, were over at their grandparents' house. What with being so many of them, it was better for them to be split between her brother and mother than foist them all off on two adults –it was hard enough with the twins alone but to add the rest of them…

Pushing off the rocking chair, she gently moved Xavier from her shoulder to the cradle of her arm, placing a soft kiss on his forehead before she laid him in his crib, taking the soft blue blanket draped over the railing to cover his legs and tummy, the soft yellow ducky footie pajamas he wore keeping the rest of him warm.

Letting out a yawn, she returned to bed, sliding under the light blue covers, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she came in contact with Rick's leg –her husband had the tendency to hog the bed, practically sleeping on her whenever he stretched out on his stomach.

At the moment, he was laying on his back, arms and legs splayed out as his chest rose and fell with each deep breath he took, his sleeping face turned towards her. Even in the darkness, she could see movement under his eyelids, the furrow between his eyebrows making her wonder if his dreams were turning a corner into a nightmare.

Settling her head on his shoulder as she slid her thigh over his to tuck her foot under his knee, she closed her eyes, her arm over his hard stomach, the beat of his heart steady under her ear. She was just starting to drift off when he jerked awake, one hand painfully gripping her waist as he pushed himself to a sitting position with the other, his breathing coming fast and shallow as he looked around the room before looking into her eyes, "Leah?"

Her name came out rough, wrought with emotion so raw Leah could practically taste the exposed vulnerability he was feeling at that moment. She knew he still had dreams of Ileana and Nicolai, knew his dreams morphed into nightmares and most of the time, it was her and their children but something in the way he had said her name made her realize, although it wasn't a good dream, it wasn't the usual kind of nightmare either.

"It was just a dream, Rick," she smiled up at him, her fingers moving over his squared jaw in a show of comfort as she looked into his eyes –his pupils were dilated so wide, all she could make out of the blue was a ring around them, "It's okay, baby –I'm right here."

Reaching up, he gripped the back of her neck, his thumb under her jaw tipping her head back as his mouth closed over hers in a blistering kiss filled with want and need and something else –something darker and so much more substantial. As his tongue moved over hers, dipping into her mouth to claim what he wanted, a glimmer of what that something was flashed in Leah's mind long enough for her to recognize it.

_Possession._

Pushing her onto her back, his body heavy over hers, she hung onto his shoulders as he slid his hand down her side, grabbing a fistful of the t-shirt she was wearing –one of his –and yanking it up before moving his hand under it to smooth it over her soft stomach.

She could feel herself responding; her body arched into his for maximum contact, knowing her submission was what he needed…what he craved at this moment.

"_Esý eísai dikós mou_," he growled into her mouth, both of them gasping for breath, Leah still not quite catching hers as he placed open mouthed kisses down her throat, his hand moving up to cover her breast as he fisted the other in her hair, pulling her head back to arch her neck, his mouth closing over her beating pulse, "_Pánta dikós mou - mi̱n xechnáme poté af̱tó_." ***You're mine. Always mine –never forget that***

She didn't understand his words but it didn't matter because the way he was touching her said it all. He wasn't gentle or playful, wasn't being rough or dominating –he was simply touching her body as if it belonged to him, marking her skin with biting kisses that had her fighting the desire to moan out loud.

Dragging the t-shirt off her and tossing it aside, he moved his attention from her neck down to her breasts, her bottom lip firmly tucked between her teeth to stifle herself as he sucked, licked and bit, molding her breasts with his hands, his mouth moving from one to the other as he wedged his thigh between hers.

He knew every spot in her body that made her temperature soar, knew what made her squirm, what had her breathing hard. Undulating under him, she was feeling the frantic need to relieve the pressure deep inside her grow with every suck and pull of his mouth, the cotton boy-short panties she had on soaked through.

Hooking his thumbs into the waistband of her panties, he dragged them down as she lifted her hips, his fingers stroking her bottom, the back of his thighs, her knees, his mouth moving down her stomach, teeth nipping at the soft swell of her lower abdomen, tongue exploring her bellybutton before he sucked hard at the skin stretched over her hipbone.

She knew where he was heading, knew she couldn't stop him nor did she want too. It didn't take him long to have her begging, her mind completely enslaved by the pleasure tearing through her, she couldn't think of anything else but the tightening coil inside her, his hands and mouth keeping the tension growing without breaking it.

She bit her bottom lip, the sharp pain of his teeth sinking into the muscle of her inner thigh rocketing her into space, everything blending into a kaleidoscope of colors and sensations, completely stealing her breath away.

She couldn't hold back the tears, her body molding to his as he moved over her, his touch gentler as he merged their bodies into one, their souls already entwined to form one heartbeat, one breath, and one world.

"Mine," he whispered against her mouth, sliding his hands up her sides until he reached her hands, their fingers locking together, their bodies flush against each other from toes to mouth, "You're mine, Leah. Say it."

Leah nodded, kissing every part of his face she could reach, letting out a low moan when he bit her bottom lip, his demand coming out in a growl, "Say it."

"Yours," her voice was equally ragged, her nails digging into the backs of his hands as she arched her body into his, both of them moving in tandem, the heat between them increasing with every push and thrust, "I'm yours. Yours and no one else's."

"Just mine," Rick licked her bruised lip, moving his thumb across her jaw to tug at her earlobe with his teeth, "All mine."

Together, they raced towards the precipice, their hearts beating a fast rhythm as the acute pleasure swept over them in a tidal wave, lifting them up and into each other, both of them reaching their own personal paradise together.

Breathing hard, he rolled off of her, her body melting into his side as soon as he pulled her into him, her head nestled into his shoulder as she let out a sigh filled with satisfaction. It wasn't long before he heard her breathing deepen and he knew she was asleep.

Watching her sleep, he touched a finger to her bottom lip –it was swollen and it still bared faint markings of his teeth that were disappearing along with the other marks he had left on her. Moving his hand down her throat, he lightly traced the bruises and bite marks, pressing down lightly on the red spots he had sucked onto her skin.

He usually didn't get this…demanding, the desire to devour her nearly overwhelming him. Sometimes, though, he had to fight back the urge to find a way to absorb her into himself but after that dream he had, it was an impossibility to keep from laying claim on her, reminding her –and himself…mostly himself –that she belonged to him just the way he belonged to her.

Moving his hand down her side, he traced the purplish red mark on her hip, the dream flipping through his head, each scene a still frame that nearly had him lose his breathing. It had started like a memory, the day he'd come after Leah, finding her at the beach with the breeze tugging at her hair, the setting sun a background painting that made her look so achingly beautiful.

But added to that memory were his feelings for her, the love that sometimes seemed so painfully big it was almost impossible to keep it inside himself. He had stared at her, had felt his body hurt with the need to hold her, to show her how much he loved and cherished her but Seth came into the picture.

Except it wasn't Seth –and the boy in his arms wasn't Gabriel. Instead of explaining to Leah he had made a mistake, she was telling him she had made a choice just like he had –she had found someone to love and who loved her back, someone she could have a family with…she had found a way to break away from him.

When he woke up and found her next to him –the relief rushing through him had been so strong, it nearly left him weak but then came the gnawing need to claim her and mark her as his own.

Wrapping his arms around her, he turned on his side, his leg between hers as he listened to the soft breathing of their son, feeling somewhat sheepish he had completely forgotten about their seven month old sleeping just a few feet from their bed –thank Zeus he had slept through it all.

Checking the clock on Leah's bedside table, he let out a yawn, his body relaxing into post-coital bliss as his brain shut down, sleep overtaking him without delay.

It was sometime around seven in the morning when a slight noise woke him up. Making sure he didn't disturb Leah, still wrapped up in his arms, he looked towards the bedroom door, eyebrows lowering at finding it opened. Looking over at the crib, he smiled at the sight of his little girl watching her baby brother sleep, small arms threaded through the railing as she gently touched his tiny hand and soft hair.

Kissing his wife's forehead, he carefully untangled himself from her, unable to keep from smiling as she let out a protesting moan, her arms wrapping around his pillow, burying her face into it and taking a deep breath as he pulled up the sheet to her shoulders.

Dropping a kiss on her shoulder, he pulled on his pajama pants, quietly moving around the bed to crouch down behind his daughter, somewhat surprised when she didn't startle at his presence, although, in retrospect, he shouldn't be.

Nothing caught his baby girl by surprise.

"You should be asleep, _agoraki_," he placed his hand against her small back, blond hair a halo of curls around her oval shaped face.

Shaking her head, she looked over her shoulder at him, brown-green eyes bright and alert, "I'm done sleeping. I want to play with Avy."

"Avy's still asleep, _moro_," he kissed her cheek, picking her up as he stood up, "How about you and I spend some time together? We can make breakfast for mama and Avy."

"Avy likes oatmeal," Tyra curved an arm around the back of Rick's neck, big eyes still trained on her little brother, "Can we make some with blueberries and cinnamon?"

"Sounds good to me."

She gave a nod in agreement, playing with the zipper of her own footie pajamas –white stars printed on blue cotton –as he made his way down the hall towards the kitchen, "Daddy?"

"Yes Tyra."

"I'm gonna teach Avy his colors today," Tyra said in a serious tone, her little nose wrinkling when he set her down on the counter, "Teacher says it's very important to learn colors."

Rick chuckled as he began to take out what he was going to need. Aside from oatmeal, he was thinking on eggs, bacon and waffles. He'd worked up an appetite, after all, and he was certain Leah would wake up hungry as well, "It is important to learn colors."

"Daddy?"

"Yes Tyra."

"Why is it important?"

He couldn't hold back the laughter –oh, was he ever glad this was his life. There was nothing he would trade this for.


	52. Chapter 50

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: William Jacob Lahote, 1yr/Skye and Marilynn Lahote, 4yr/Vivi, 12-13y,7thgrd/Marc, 13-14y,8thgrd/Jillian Young, 11m-1yr/And as always, Gabe's age is next to the chapter.  
**

**Enjoy and please review! I already have the next chapter so if I get tons of reviews by tomorrow morning, I'll update before going to work!  
**

**Chapter Fifty (11yrs old)  
**_January_

"Willie's naked! Willie's naked!"

Paul laughed as he cleaned up the living room, two large trash bags by the back door stuffed with wrapping paper, used plates, cups and napkins. Rachel had lost –her rock to his paper –so she was on bedtime duty which was why she was in the bathroom bathing William and the girls.

"What is it, mama?"

Paul had to bite back his laughter at Skye's question –it was the same thing every night ever since William was old enough to sit in the tub on his own. He had told Rachel she shouldn't be bathing them together but she'd said it was nonsense –her mother had bathed Jacob along with her and Rebecca until he was about three or four. That, of course, had him wondering if Rachel had been the one to point to Jacob's privates and asked what it was –every night.

"It's called a penis."

Paul winced as he wiped down the coffee table, still not sure Rachel's insistence in teaching their kids the appropriate anatomical terms for their body parts was such a good idea but he'd yet to find a reason why it wasn't a good idea.

The woman was just too damn smart for her britches.

"Daddy says it's a willie."

A splash followed by giggles then Rachel's voice, "Daddy's silly."

Oh, yeah. Very silly. He'll show her how silly he was tonight –she'll be calling his penis anything but when he was done.

"Why don't I have one?"

"Because you're a girl. Girls have vaginas."

He cringed again –seriously, the way she talked to their kids made him very uncomfortable. He just knew someday it was going to bite her in the ass when one of their kids –probably Skye –started yelling about vaginas and penises in the middle of a crowded store.

"Is this a vagina?"

Rachel's laughter carried down the hall, William letting out a high squeal of protest which meant his mother had taken him out of the tub, "No, sweetie. That's your bellybutton."

"Do you have one?"

"Yes I do."

"Does Daddy?"

Another chuckle, more squeals of protest then her answer, "Yes he does."

Then, his quiet little Marilynn spoke up in a high pitched voice, "Everyone has a bellybutton but not everyone has a vagina, right mama?"

Laughter, "Right, baby. There you go, William. Go find Daddy."

Little feet padded into the kitchen as he closed the back door, William Jacob stopping in the middle of the lighted kitchen, looking up at him with a big toothy grin, "Da!"

"Hey little man," Paul lifted him up off the floor, swinging him up above his head before settling him against his broad chest, laughing as Skye's words echoed down the hall, "Boys have penises and girls have vaginas!"

"That is correct!"

She was going to regret this, he just knew it. His only wish was to be there when it happened.

Thirty minutes later, the girls were in their matching rainbow pajamas, their dark hair damp ringlets framing round little faces. Both girls were in Marilynn's bed, their stuffed animals piled around them as Rachel picked up the book she was reading to them.

Walking into his daughters' room, he sat on Skye's bed, William snuggled into his side with thumb in his mouth -the kid was exhausted after a long day that included a party to celebrate his first birthday. Just as Rachel opened the book to start the next chapter of _In The Garden,_ Skye crawled to the foot of the bed, several of the stuffies tumbling onto the carpeted floor, "Daddy?"

"Yes baby."

"Is your penis small like Willie's?"

The look on his face had to have been hilarious because Rachel was flat on her back, holding her stomach and laughing so hard tears streamed down her cheeks.

Go figure -she teaches them this crap and he's the one paying for it, "Damn you, Rachel!"

* * *

_February 14__th_

He was nervous but he wasn't going to back out now, not after all the work he put into coming up with the perfect gift, one that would say how he felt about her for him. The school was still relatively empty, just as he had planned, having gotten up earlier than usual and ridden his bike to school, promising his mama he would be careful.

Reaching her locker, he quickly spun the combination into the lock, pulling it out of the catch as soon as it clicked open. Setting the lock aside, he pulled his backpack off his shoulder, crouching down to set it on the floor and unzip it, carefully pulling out his surprise.

He had been working on it for months now, Billy Black helping him with the smaller details but he'd gotten most of it done on his own. Placing it carefully on the bottom of the locker, he made sure it was centered then took the envelope from the inside of his binder, leaning it carefully against it.

Taking the lock, he carefully shut the door, closing the lock as soon as it was in place. Now that he was done, he was feeling even more nervous -what if she didn't like it? What if she thought it was stupid?

As much as he wanted to open the locker and take it back, he forced himself to pick up his backpack and walk away -he was not going to chicken out now because, quite frankly, he just didn't have it in him to do so.

* * *

She was running late, so it was a good thing she had her math and history books with her so she didn't have to stop at her locker until after lunch. Rushing down the hallway to her math class, she smiled and waved at those who called out to her, reaching up to push her hair behind her shoulders -she hadn't had time to do it up in a braid the way she usually did.

Reaching the classroom right as the final bell rang; she smiled at Mr. Reese before moving doing the aisle to her desk, smoothly sliding into her chair as she pulled out her notebook and math textbook.

The soft smile on her face was a daily occurrence, thanks to the small origami daisy on the corner of her desk -there was always one waiting for her every morning ever since the first day of school, and although she was certain who left them there, she wasn't sure how he knew which desk was hers.

The hour went by fast, her concentration focused on Mr. Reese as he taught them algebraic equations. He assigned their homework several minutes before the bell rang, calling out names of students he needed to speak with concerning the last pop quiz he had given them.

Vivi shoved everything into her messenger bag, the little origami daisy in her pencil case where she placed them for the day, putting them in her jewelry box once she got home. Mr. Reese stopped her on her way out of the classroom, handing over her pop quiz, "Good job, Vivi. You're doing very well."

"Thank you, Mr. Reese," she gave him a smile, taking the paper and placing it into her bag without looking at it, checking to make sure she had her sketchbook and pencils for art class.

Usually, Gabe would be outside her math class to walk her to art before heading to the gym for his second period but he wasn't waiting today. Vivi's heart clutched painfully in her chest as she stood to the side of the door, watching as people came to and from classes, waiting another minute then two, having to run to get to class before the tardy bell rang. Miss Palazzo didn't like tardiness and despite her hippie ways, she was somewhat uptight about rules.

Art went by quickly, the hour spent sketching a basket of fruit, concentrating on shading and dimensionality. As the hour came to an end, she finally set her pencil down, frowning at her sketch -she wasn't as artistically inclined as her brother, one look at the lines and squiggles that made up her drawing attested to that. She supposed her artistic abilities inclined more towards a full body expression, one that didn't require anything but music, space and the movement of her body.

"Okay, class, listen up," Miss Palazzo clapped her hands, moving between the standing easels towards the front of the classroom, "You have a project due next month. I want you to find something -anything -that fills you with inspiration. Study it, focus on it and draw it. I want it to show what you feel when you look at it -I want it to have emotional depth as well as artistic. I want to feel what you felt when you looked at it. You have six weeks to work on it and make sure you use nothing but pencil."

As the bell rang, they all picked up their materials, Vivi placing her graphite pencils into the leather case she kept them in -they had been a gift from Marc for Christmas along with the case.

Celia, the girl that sat at the easel to her right, moved to walk beside her as they exited the classroom, mouse-brown hair cut to frame her thin face, "I'm going to draw an egg. That's about as inspired as I get."

Vivi laughed at that -they had bonded over futile attempts at creating art, "I'm thinking along those lines too. Either that or a wall."

Their laughter mingled with the cacophony of voices as they stepped out into the hallway, Celia's odd-colored eyes twinkling as she leaned close to whisper, "There's your boy."

Vivi looked at her, somewhat confused at the statement, "What?"

Celia nodded her head across the crowded hallway, "Your boyfriend."

Looking up, she blushed at the sight of Gabe leaning against the wall, talking with one of his football friends, looking like he had all the time in the world. However, she knew he had phys. ed. during second period and gym was across the school campus which meant he had to have run to get to her art class before the bell rang.

"He's not my boyfriend," Vivi whispered, her face getting hotter as Celia gave her a look of disbelief, "He's my best friend."

"Oh," Celia's face morphed into a teasing smile as she bumped her shoulder against Vivi's, "I'm pretty sure that won't last long...the just friends thing, I mean. He's crazy about you -not to mention how you feel about him."

"Is it that obvious?"

Celia giggled as they waited for the crowd to thin out as people made their way to the next class in their schedule, "Only when you two look at each other -which is all the time. Anyway, I'll see you later. Don't want to be late for drama."

"Bye Celia," Vivi couldn't make the blush go away as she approached Gabriel, the smile on his face as he looked at her making her heart skip a beat. She turned to give his friend a smile, "Hi Tony."

"Hey Vivi," Tony grinned at her, punching Gabriel's arm as he headed down the hallway to his own class, "See ya later, Gabe."

"Right," Gabe returned the punch before pushing away from the wall, his smile turning into a grin as he stared into her gold-brown eyes, "How's your Valentine's day going?"

"Good," Vivi smiled, gripping the strap to her messenger bag in both hands.

Gabe's smile dimmed a bit as he shifted his weight, hitching his backpack higher up his shoulder, "Just good?"

"Yeah," Vivi shrugged, not sure why he looked upset and not knowing how to ask, "We should get going -we don't want to be late for history."

Gabe nodded, not saying anything else as they made their way down the hall. Good thing their history class was just around the corner -bad thing Gabe wasn't going to be able to concentrate on anything else but the obvious fact Vivi hadn't liked his surprise.

Where did he go wrong?

* * *

History was a drag and their lunch hour was quiet, which was unusual. Vivi could tell something was bothering Gabriel but he just shrugged, not telling her what it was even though she had asked -multiple times.

Looking at her watch -a Christmas gift from Tia Rosa -she remembered she needed to go to her locker and switch her math and history books for biology and English, not to mention her drama binder, "I know there's still ten minutes of lunch but I have to go to my locker and switch out my books. Want to come with me?"

Gabriel shrugged, grabbing his backpack and lunch tray as he stood up, staring sullenly over her head as she picked up her own lunch tray.

"Gabriel," Vivi placed her tray in the drop-off window, crossing her arms over her chest as they made their way towards the lockers, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You keep saying that but it's obvious it's not true."

Gabriel lifted a shoulder, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, "It's not like I can do anything about it, anyway."

"You can always do something about anything."

"Oh sure," Gabe rolled his eyes, leaning against the locker next to hers as she spun the dial, "If you didn't like it, there's nothing I can do about that."

She stared at him in confusion as the lock clicked open, "What are you talking about?"

Gabe finally looked at her, seeing the confusion in her pretty eyes, realizing he was being a big baby over something she didn't even know about, "You didn't open your locker this morning?"

She shook her head, gold-red curls tumbling over her shoulders as she lifted the latch, "I overslept and my morning stretching took longer than usual. I was running so late, I didn't even have time to eat brea -oh!"

Gabe didn't say anything, watching as she picked up the envelope with her name across the front, feeling slightly self-conscious about the whole thing -it was why he had snuck into her locker in the morning, so he wouldn't have to be there when she discovered his surprise.

Vivi stared at the small wooden box the envelope had been leaning against, tiny carved daisies around all the edges painted white with yellow centers, the rest of the redwood box varnished to a high sheen, "Its beautiful...you made this? For me?"

Gabe nodded as he gave her a shy smile, rubbing the toe of his sneaker against the tiled floor, "Yeah...just thought it would be a nice gift...for Valentine's Day."

Vivi's eyes were bright, her smile growing as she stared up at him, finally throwing her arms around him. He was surprised but he still managed to keep his stance, hands going to her waist, his fingers coming into contact with the soft skin exposed by her shirt riding up.

Swallowing hard, he tried for a teasing smile, his voice cracking slightly halfway through, "You haven't looked inside yet."

Vivi pulled back, hands on his shoulders as she smiled into his blue eyes, "There's more?"

"Sure," Gabe nodded, clearing his throat as she pulled away from him, the tingling in his fingertips traveling up his arms, his body feeling strange but in a good way. He watched as she removed the lid, feeling unusually shy as she pulled out what he'd put in there, "I saw it some months ago, thought you might like it so I saved up my chore money and bought it for you."

Vivi held the bracelet in both hands -it was brown braided leather with a silver lobster clasp, three small charms hanging from it -a daisy, a star and a ballerina. There were also several donut beads, "This is...wonderful. I love it!"

His grin stretched with relief as he pointed at the charms, "You can add more if you want too -I picked these three because they made me think of you."

Vivi smiled up at him, heart in her eyes as she softly whispered, "Its perfect."

The sound of the bell signaling the end of lunch peeled throughout the school building, the swell of voices increasing as everyone started towards their next class, slamming locker doors, scrapping chairs and laughter echoing around them neither Gabe nor Vivi paid attention as they gazed into each other's eyes, time suspended for them as the moment stretched into an eternity.

The locker door on the other side of hers was slammed shut, the sudden intrusion to their moment having her jump as she broke eye contact. Turning to look at her brother -being they shared the same last name, his locker was next to hers -with a withering look, "Must you slam your locker like that?"

Marc arched an eyebrow as he looked over her shoulder at Gabe before looking down at her, "I called you name and you didn't answer -thought it would be a good way to get your attention."

"Next time, a tap on the shoulder would suffice," Vivi wrinkled her nose at him, tucking the bracelet into the front pocket of her bag before he noticed it. Pulling out her books, she placed them in the shelf, taking the ones she needed and slipping them into the bag.

"Right," Marc looked away from Gabe and into her locker, dark brown eyes landing on the still open wooden box in the bottom, "What's that?"

"A gift," Vivi answered, placing the lid back before closing the door, the lock clicking in place before she turned to look at him, "What did you get Robyn?"

Marc's eyebrows lowered over brown eyes as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "For what?"

"Valentine's day," Vivi gave him a look, the one that told him she thought he was being purposely obtuse, which he was, "She's your girlfriend, after all."

"We're just friends," Marc muttered under his breath, looking around to make sure she wasn't anywhere near enough to hear him.

"Oh, right," Vivi smirked as the second bell rang, "'Cause friends kiss the way you two do."

Marc's mouth fell open in surprise, "How do you know that?"

She chuckled, closing the flap of her messenger bag, moving to stand next to Gabriel, "You two aren't as double-o seven as you think."

Gabe didn't even bother holding back the laughter, grinning at Marc as Vivi took his arm to pull him down the hallway, "Let's go, Gabriel. We don't want to be late for biology."

Grin still in place, he gave Marc a wave before taking Vivi's hand in his, not missing the glare the older boy gave him along with the one finger salute.

They made it to their class just in time, the final bell ringing as they sat down at the table they shared -they had paired up on the first day of school after the biology teacher had them all pick lab partners.

Vivi pulled out her notebook along with the textbook, taking the envelope from the front pocket where she had placed it, "So what's in here?"

Gabe looked over just as she started opening the flap, panic clawing his insides as he reached out to stop her, "No! You can't...uhm…read it when you get home. Not here."

Vivi giggled, cheeks a rosy pink as she placed it back in her bag, "Okay."

Letting out a sigh of relief, he gave her a somewhat sheepish smile, looking to the front of the class where the teacher was talking to one of their classmates, "So, uhm...you want to get ice cream sometime today? Like...after football practice?"

"Oh," Vivi's eyes were big with regret as she bit her bottom lip for a couple of seconds before explaining, "I have dance class today. Tia's picking me up after school to take us to Port Angeles...I should be back by dinner time."

"Oh," Gabe nodded, turning his pencil over and over between his fingers, "Maybe over the weekend or something."

Vivi nodded, her long hair catching the light coming in from the windows, the gold-red color so bright he faintly wondered if it would be hot to the touch, "Sure...that would be nice."

"Yeah."

Mr. Betance started the class so they both looked away from each other, facing forward and taking notes, occasionally sneaking glances, both smiling when they did it at the same time.

After assigning them their homework, Mr. Betance gave them the last five minutes of the hour to themselves, Vivi blushing slightly as she leaned close to Gabriel so she wouldn't be overheard, "I need a favor."

Gabe nodded as he leaned in towards her, realizing the smell of strawberries and vanilla tickling his nose for the past hour was her shampoo, "Sure, whatever you need."

She held out the bracelet to him, her smile shy and sweet, "Could you put it on for me?"

He took it from her, their fingers brushing, the fluttering emotions surging through both of them causing simultaneous blushes and sheepish smiles.

He looped it twice around her left wrist, his fingers brushing the soft skin stretched over her delicate wrist bones -she always made him think of the little crystal angels his mama liked hanging up on their Christmas tree, the ones they found out broke even if they landed on the soft carpet.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, her sweet smelling breath brushing against his cheek as he took a little longer to make sure the catch was secure before letting go, his fingers trailing down the soft inside of her wrist before he took her hand and gave it a squeeze, his smile making her breath catch in her throat.

"You're welcome."

* * *

_Third Weekend of March_

"She won't sleep. I bounce her, I walk her, I rock her -nothing works!"

Lyn gave her sister a smile filled with compassion, familiar with this rant thanks to the mothers of her younger patients, "Have you tried singing to her?"

The topic of conversation was currently balancing herself on her toes, tiny hands gripping her aunt's fingers as she shifted from side to side, working on finding her balance.

"It doesn't work," Julie watched her eleven month old daughter as she rocked back onto her heels before rocking forward to stand on her toes, wobbling a bit before she balanced herself, looking up at her aunt with a smile of accomplishment, showing off her two bottom teeth, "I sing to her -she'll clap, giggle, laugh, dance -anything but sleep."

"Aww," Lyn grinned down at her niece, leaning down to kiss her soft blue-black hair, "You're mama's biggest fan, aren't you?"

"Ing! Ing!" Jillian rocked up, purple eyes bright as she bounced her knees; she looked adorable in a pink tulle skirt along with a white onesies that had a glittery pink tiara on her small chest and pink ribboned headband around her small head –her father had dressed her that morning.

"Now when Julian sings to her, she's out like a light," Julie slouched deeper into the armchair, exhaustion riding her hard -she hadn't had a decent night's sleep in the last ten months, "It doesn't matter what he sings, she's out, although she does have a preference for blues music."

Lyn looked up from Jill's china doll face to give her sister a look of surprise, "Blues music?"

Julie nodded, stretching her long legs out with a sigh, "Mostly Billy Gibson," at Lyn's questionable look, she explained further, "ZZ Top."

"Oh," Lyn laughed, looking down at Jill as her tiny fingers let go of her hands, staying on her feet for a good minute or two before gravity won and had her falling back into her diapered bottom, "You and Uncle Collin have something in common, Jillie."

Jillian looked up at her aunt, a belly laugh escaping her as she turned to get on her hands and knees, crawling across the rug to where her mother was.

"Is he any good?"

Julie looked up from watching her daughter as she grabbed the round edge of the coffee table to pull herself up, her smile of accomplishment making Julie smile, albeit a tired smile, "Is he ever...he can put Jill to sleep and turn me on all in one breath."

Lyn burst out laughing, Jillian startling in surprise as she turned to look at her aunt, her tulle skirt swinging with the movement as she let go of the table and fell back onto her bottom again.

Julie chuckled as Jillian swung her wide purple eyes to look at her mama before looking at her aunt, her sweet little face sporting a look of totally confused surprise.

"Did I scare you, Jillie," Lyn got off the couch and on her knees as she reached for her niece, picking her up and lifting her over her head, Jillian giggling as she kicked her legs, stretching her arms in an attempt to touch Lyn's face. Lowering her closer, Lyn blew a raspberry into her sweet smelling neck, the little girl laughing as she grabbed handfuls of Lyn's blond hair.

Julie enjoyed watching her little sister play with her daughter, able to see Lyn's amazing ability to connect with children, which, as a pediatrician, it was a very good skill to have.

"We need to get her into a schedule," Julie sighed as she let her head drop back, closing her eyes for just a moment, "It'll be much easier for her once we get a nanny."

Lyn looked up at her sister in surprise, Jillian wiggling in her arms to be set loose, "You're getting a nanny?"

Julie nodded, opening her tired eyes to watch as her baby crawled across the floor towards her, "We're going on tour in –"

Lyn interrupted, her tone of voice revealing the surprise she felt at her sister's news, "You're going on tour? Are you taking Jill with you?"

"Of course we're taking Jillian," Julie leaned forward to lift her baby up into her arms, Jillian pulling at the neckline of her cotton top shirt, "We're waiting after the summer's over –probably sometime in August or September. Natalie's been working out the details –we've agreed to two shows per week, one city for every two weeks. We're starting in Seattle, moving down to Los Angeles, over to Vegas, up to Denver, Chicago, Detroit –"

"What about the holidays?"

"We're flying in for Thanksgiving and Christmas," Julie pressed a kiss on a soft pudgy cheek, her reward a cascade of giggles, "Lian wants us to spend New Year's in Australia –I've talked to mom to see if she's up to getting the time off to come as well. You and Collin are also invited if you can get the time off."

Lyn sat back on her bottom, leaning against the couch as she tried to get her thoughts organized, "I didn't…I didn't realize you and Lian were planning on picking up the whole touring thing."

"Lian and I talked about it," Julie understood her sister's hesitation with the revelation of her news, "We both love what we do, Lyn. Music and performing…it's all part of who we are so we've decided, since Jillian's old enough to be able to travel, we can get back on the tour circuit this year –this one's going to be the first duet tour we do. We've sand together before –the CMAs and the Grammies but we've yet to tour together and since we're a family, we thought this would be a perfect time."

"You think Jillian will be able to handle the tour bus?"

Julie laughed at that, looking down at her daughter playing with the tulle ruffles of her skirt, "Jillian loves the tour bus –not to mention the band. They got her last week to finish recording Lian's next CD and they all spoil her rotten…you ought to see her, Lyn. She thrives under the attention –loves being in the spotlight."

Lyn chuckled as she wrapped her arms around her drawn up knees, "Performing must be in her genes."

Julie nodded, Jillian grabbing on to her t-shirt to pull herself up to stand on her mother's thighs, "Sometimes, she'll sing with me…you know, just babbles and squeals but I kid you not, she's always on pitch."

Lyn laughed, able to see how tired her sister was as Jillian danced around, tiny feet digging into her legs and stomach as she kept a tight grip on her mother's t-shirt, "It's like she has music in her head –she won't stop moving."

Julie let out a soft sigh as she gave her sister a pointed look, "I know…"

Lyn chuckled as she pushed herself up off the floor, "Let me take her out for a walk –just a few hours, give you some time to yourself. Take a nap…maybe a shower –"

"Are you saying I smell?"

Lyn pursed her lips as she took Jillian from her, the little girl letting out a squeal as she lifted up her knees to grasp her tiny feet in her equally tiny hands, "Well, I wasn't going to mention it but…you smell a little sour."

Julie sniffed her t-shirt, "She spit up on me this morning but I changed my shirt."

Lyn's eyebrows lowered, the pediatrician in her coming out as she settled her niece on her hip, "She's still spitting up?"

"Yes," Julie pushed herself to her feet, arching her back to get a bit of relief for her tired muscles, "Every morning, when I nurse her, she spits up. Maybe she's lactose intolerant?"

Lyn stared at her sister, not sure how to answer without making her feel stupid, finally just coming out with it, "You're breastfeeding her so…she can't be lactose intolerant because…well…only cows have lactose."

"Oh."

They stared at each other, the laughter erupting simultaneously, Jillian laughing along with them even though she had no idea what the joke was.

* * *

_Early April  
Central Seattle Library_

The soft rustle of pages being turned was accompanied by the sound of pen moving across paper, the occasional sound of a clearing throat, a cough, a sneeze…even a whispered conversation kept complete silence at bay.

She had seen him in here before –sometimes by himself, sometimes with his little girl. She couldn't help watch him while he did whatever he was doing. She knew he wasn't an undergraduate student –he looked to be somewhere in his mid or late twenties –but it was obvious he was a student of some kind.

Every time she came in to work on her thesis project, she looked around for him and if he was here, whether alone or not, she found herself a table where she could watching him –it was for that reason she was aware of several things.

One –he wasn't married what with him lacking a ring. Two –he loved his little girl and seemed to encourage her in whatever it is she did whenever she came in with him. Three –there was no man hotter than he and she was very interested.

Now, the thing she needed to figure out was how to approach him –as a single father, he probably didn't date much, at least she had made that assumption because he never checked out the women in the library, not even those who purposely walked by his table or bumped against him in the aisles whenever he went in search of books.

Not only that but she had also noticed how possessive of him his little girl was –some weeks ago, an undergrad student, obviously still not old enough to drink, had approached him. The little girl had climbed on him and latched on to his neck, not once letting go while the girl tried to talk to him. Even though she hadn't been close enough to hear the conversation, it had been hilarious because from where she was sitting, it was obvious for every question the college girl asked, his little girl had been the one to answer…and not once, did he reprimand her for it.

Looking over the edge of her stack of books, she watched him as he worked on whatever it was he was doing, his laptop in the middle of the table, several books spread around him and a stack of papers set to the side while he flipped through a book.

He was alone today and she knew this was her chance if she was only brave enough to take it. Looking down at her notebook, she bit the end of her pen, pondering her approach for a couple of minutes before she gave a decisive nod as she stood up to walk to his table.

"Excuse me?"

Embry looked up from the book he was using, focusing on the woman standing beside his table, "May I help you?"

"Uhm…I'm sorry to bother you. My name is Martha…I was wondering if I could interview you for my thesis project."

Embry's eyebrows rose in surprise, not having any idea what kind of thesis project would require interviews, "What is your thesis on?"

She smiled as she pulled out the chair at the end of the table, sitting down without an invitation, "I'm working on my Master's in education. My thesis is based on parental involvement in early education. I've seen you a few times before –with your daughter. I've noticed how invested you are in her education and would like to ask you some questions. It would help me out a lot."

Embry couldn't help the smile from growing as he leaned back into his chair, putting his pen down on the table, "I wouldn't mind helping but…she's not my daughter."

The surprise in her eyes was evident to him and he couldn't keep his smile from growing, completely unaware of its effect as she blinked at him, "She's not your daughter?"

He shook his head, "No. She's my boss's daughter. She comes up with these elaborate research ideas for school and can't find adequate material in the library there so I bring her here."

"Oh."

Embry chuckled as he set the heel of his sneaker on the edge of his chair, resting his forearm on his knee, "She's finishing sixth grade next month and is hopeful the middle school library will offer a better selection."

"Sixth grade," Martha leaned back into her chair, tapping a fingernail against the table's surface in a nervous gesture she wasn't aware of having, "She doesn't look older than ten."

"She's eight, actually," Embry knew he was bragging but he couldn't help it –his Princess was just _that_ amazing, "She skipped second and fifth grade."

"Oh, wow," Martha's smile grew and he could see she was honestly impressed with the information, "I've been a teacher for almost ten years and have never come across a child skipping more than one grade."

"Forks doesn't have a gifted program," Embry explained to her, "And Emmie happens to be _very_ gifted. The best way they've figured out to challenge her is by advancing her…she, of course, manages to catch up and surpass their curriculum which means advancing her again."

"Are her parents actively involved in her education?"

Embry nodded, not minding the questions because it concerned his favorite topic of conversation, "Her father is a history teacher at the high school as well as the track and field coach. He's got a PhD in various areas, from what I understand, and he's always encouraging her to learn as much as she wants too."

"What about her mother?"

"Leah's a stay at home mom –she's always willing to listen to her ideas for possible projects and such, I help her set them up when necessary –bring her here whenever she needs to do research but most of the time, she's pretty good at getting things done by herself."

Even though she had used her thesis as an excuse to talk to him, Martha knew a golden opportunity when she saw one, "I would love to interview her parents –as well as you. It seems you're the most involved in her education."

"I suppose I could ask Rick and Leah…they don't come up to Seattle, though, so it might have to be a phone interview or perhaps through e-mail."

"What about you?"

Embry cocked an eyebrow, "Me? Well, I only come up here when I need to do research for my own thesis or whenever Emmie needs the library."

"Could we maybe set up a day and time," Martha gave him a smile, eyes bright as she leaned forward, "We could meet for coffee –a relaxed atmosphere is known to help interviews go smoothly."

Embry shrugged, not knowing if that was true, "I suppose we could meet for coffee…I have a lunch meeting on Wednesday with my thesis advisor. How about we meet at that coffee shop west of campus at, say, three?"

"Sure," Martha nodded, taking his pen and writing on the margin of his notebook, "Here's my e-mail and phone number. Let me know if there's a change in plan –and please, if you could ask her parents?"

"Sure."

She smiled again, standing up and pushing her chair in, turning to walk away before turning back to look at him, a bit surprised to see he was back to reading his book, "I'm sorry but I didn't get your name."

Embry looked up, somewhat surprised to see her still standing there, "Oh, sorry. I'm Embry –Embry Call."

Martha held out her hand, liking the way his larger one felt as it closed around her smaller one, "Nice to meet you, Embry. I'll see you Wednesday."

"Sure."

She felt good about herself –she had not only gotten the nerve to talk to a totally hot guy but she would be seeing him again…not to mention, she had possible interviews with the parents of a little genius.


	53. Chapter 51

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Lili Uley, 9yrs old, 4thgrd/Tyra Laskaris, 5yrs old, kinder/Xavier Laskaris, 1yr old/Emerie Laskaris, 8-9yrs old, 6thgrd/Marc De Lune, 14yrs old, 8thgrd, and as always, Gabe's age is next to the chapter.**

**Enjoy the quick update and if I get tons of reviews, I'll update again soon -I've already finished the next chapter!**

**Chapter Fifty-One (11-12yrs old)**

_Third Weekend of April_

They were in big trouble.

Marc's impassive face didn't show what he was feeling which was good because he was nervous as hell. Granted, there wasn't much the man could do to him what with him being half-vampire but then again, he wasn't entire sure if he would survive, say...a gunshot because that's exactly what Robyn's dad was thinking of doing.

Marc and Robyn sat next to each other, both ramrod straight with their tense shoulders thrown back as her father paced before them, obvious agitation and anger on his face. Marc knew what the guy wanted to do, having been stupid enough to take a peak and now he wondered how much longer it was going to take for Uncle Seth to come to his rescue.

He and Robyn had planned another movie night in Port Angeles -not that they watched much of what was happening on the big screen -but Robyn remembered she had agreed to babysit her neighbor's three year old...and that's where the shit hit the fan.

He really shouldn't have agreed to join her -he supposed he could blame it on hormones or whatever the fuck made it impossible to think past the way it felt to kiss her while holding her.

He was supposed to be made of stronger stuff...stronger stuff that apparently crumbled when it involved an invitation to watch a movie while cuddling on the couch...without parental supervision. It had been just his damn luck her neighbor had cut her date short and came into her house to find them in a total lip lock...with his hand up Robyn's skirt.

A knock at the door had all three of them snap their heads to the side, Robyn's dad stomping across the living room floor to yank open the front door, a deep scowl on his face as he glared at Uncle Seth, "Are you Marc's uncle?"

Uncle Seth gave a nod, his eyebrow arched as he looked over the much shorter guy to the two teenagers sitting on the edge of the couch, both of them staring at the floor with single-minded focus, "That would be me, yes."

"I don't want him near my daughter," the words came out harsh, Uncle Seth turning his attention to the angry man who had yet to invite him in.

"Why is that?"

Marc knew without looking at Uncle Seth's face there would be amusement over the whole situation as Robyn's dad exploded, pointing a thick finger towards them, "My daughter is thirteen years old! I should not be coming home to find out she's got her tongue down some boy's throat while he's feeling her up!"

Seth bit the inside of his cheek, telling himself not to laugh. After all, if the situation were reversed, he'd be just as pissed, "You're right -you shouldn't be coming home to that."

Robyn's dad jerked his head in a nod, not at all pacified with Seth's agreement, "You keep him away from her -I ever see him near my daughter, he'll be sorry."

The amusement in Seth's brown-green eyes disappeared, his usually easy-going demeanor nowhere in sight as he stared into angry blue-gray eyes, "And if anything happens to my boy -you'll be sorry. Let's go, Marc."

The drive back to La Push was quiet, Marc staring out the window at the shadows of the trees, feeling stupidly embarrassed over the whole thing. He sure hoped Uncle Seth wouldn't say anything to Tia Rosa about this...they would probably both die of mortification if they had to talk about it.

"So you got to third base, uh?"

Marc's head whipped to the side, chocolate brown eyes wide as he stare at his Uncle, not entire sure where he was going with this baseball talk, "Third base?"

"Uh-hu," Uncle Seth kept his eyes on the road, one hand on the steering wheel while the other hung out of the Mustang's opened window, "First base, kiss her. Second base, make-out. Third base, feel her up."

Marc stared at him, seriously confused over the whole baseball analogy, "What's a home run?"

He watched as the corners of Uncle Seth's mouth lifted into a grin, brown-green eyes twinkling as he turned to look at him, "Wait a few more years to find out, okay?"

Marc nodded, feeling the anxiety inside him loosen up as he realized his Uncle Seth wasn't angry. Marc wasn't entire sure what he was but angry, he was not.

"Okay."

* * *

_May 10th_

Balloons were everywhere, tables and chairs being set up in the front yard while the jumping castle and games were taking place behind the little two story house.

Her cousins were already here -how could they not be, living within walking distance of her house -even though the party wasn't ready to start for another hour and a half. There was going to be cake and a candy-stuffed piñata -Aunt Rose along with Marc and Vivi had made one that looked like a liquid molecule...she was going to get to split an atom.

Despite all the cool games -all of them fun science because that's what she had wanted -Emmie was looking forward to one thing the most and that was the confetti volcano.

Mou had helped her build the volcano, rigging a simple mechanism that would shoot two pounds of confetti ten feet up into the air...it was going to be epic.

Emmie slid out of the inflatable castle where she had been jumping with Ian, Zak, Alyx and Andrey, landing on the mat mama had put at the front of 'Frankenstein's Castle' to keep socks from picking up dirt and grass. Putting on her shoes, she ran around the side of the house towards the front.

All the adults were working together to finish setting up. There was the gift table in front of her mama's flower bed, the table where the cake was going to be on the other side of the porch steps. Daddy and Uncle Sam were on across the front yard, working the grills where the hamburgers and hot dogs were cooking.

Emmie wrinkled her nose at the smell, looking around in search of Mou but he wasn't amongst her aunts and uncles who were still setting up tables and chairs, taping streamers to the sides, balloons tied to the backs of the chairs.

Frowning, she ran over to her Daddy, tugging at his jeans to get his attention from the conversation he was having with Uncle Sam, "Daddy?"

He looked down at her, eyes smiling along with his mouth, "Yes _moro_?"

"Have you seen Mou?"

"He's on his way, _agoraki_," he brushed back her bangs, tapping a finger against her nose; "He called to let us know he's bringing a friend with him."

Emmie frowned at this information, dark eyebrows dipping into a vee between her bright blue eyes, "Is it a girl?"

"I don't know, _glikia_," he cupped her cheek, giving her _the look_ she knew meant she was to obey whatever he said, "You mind your manners, okay?"

Emmie twisted her mouth into a tight bud, digging her toe into the ground as Daddy kept looking at her, finally letting out a heavy sigh, "Okay."

"That's my girl."

Normally, praise from her Daddy made her feel good but the thought of Mou bringing a friend that's a girl to her ninth birthday party wasn't sitting well with her.

Rubbing her chest, she looked around the front yard before walking around the house to the back in search of her cousin Lili. Seeing her at the Crazy Putty table, she ran across the yard to her, grinning when she saw her handling a bright blue ball of putty.

"Do you like it?"

Lili turned to look at her, awe on her face as she let go of the putty, only to watch it bounce against the surface of the table, "How does this work?"

Emmie was more than happy to explain the science behind the putty, "The glue is a polymer while the powder is a sodium borate and when they're combined in water, the molecules react and become one giant molecule."

Lili nodded, smiling at her cousin as she squished the blue putty in her fist, watching it come out between her fingers, "That's cool...although I didn't understand a single thing you said."

Emmie giggled, not holding it against her cousin for not understanding -really, the only person she could talk about science with was Mou and her brother Zak who had a similar interest in the subject. Everyone else just didn't get her fascination over discovering how everything around them worked.

She took Lili to the other games -gravity free water, dry ice bubbles, bucket spinning -and through each one, she explained to her the concepts behind air pressure, sublimation, centripetal force, Lili listening avidly to her as more kids began to show up, some of them from her sixth grade class but most of them were from the reservation school.

The party was well into starting when Emmie caught sight of Mou's car. He was parking across their front yard and even though Emmie knew she wasn't supposed to, she was too excited about seeing him and having his help with the confetti volcano that she ran to him, weaving around people's legs as he got out of the car.

"MOU!"

His laugh always made her stomach flip, the funny sensation making her laugh in return as he called out to her, "Princess!"

Several feet away, she threw herself at him, knowing without a doubt he would catch her and not let her fall and get hurt. She laughed as he swung her up into the air, easily catching her before giving her a big hug, her own arms wrapped around his neck.

He kissed the side of her head, leaning back to smile into her blue eyes, "How's the birthday Princess doing? Are you enjoying your party?"

Emmie gave a vigorous nod, framing his face between her hands, "Lili likes the games mama and I planned -she said she didn't know science could be so much fun!"

"That's great, Princess," Mou's smile grew bigger as he gave her a squeeze, "It seems your goal for the party has been met."

"My theory was most kids have no idea the fun in learning science," Emmie gave him a big grin as he shifted her so she'd be sitting on his arm -even though she was now nine, Emmie was still smaller than some girls her age and she didn't mind because that meant Mou could still pick her up and hold her, which she liked very much, "My initial findings supports my theory."

Mou laughed, the vibrations against her chest causing her to giggle, the sound of a slamming car door breaking into their conversation. Looking away from Mou's brown eyes, Emmie zeroed in on the woman that walked around Mou's car towards him.

She was short, with blond hair that looked washed out, eyes a dull brown and her smiling mouth reminding Emmie of a clown -she wasn't a pretty woman, at least not to Emmie, "Who is she?"

"Emmie," Mou gave her a slight jostle to have her look at him, "This is a friend. She came to meet you."

Emmie really doubted that -it was obvious just by looking at the woman smiling at her Mou that she wasn't here because of her, "Why would she want to meet me?"

"Well," Mou reached up to tap a finger against her nose, something he did whenever she frowned and although it always made her smile, this time she couldn't find it in her to do so, "She's working on her master's and her thesis is on education. I told her of how smart you are and she wanted to ask you some questions. She also wants to talk to your mom and dad."

"You could have given her our phone number -she didn't have to come to my party with you."

Emmie was able to see the woman was surprised by what she had said and she knew she was being rude but she didn't care -she didn't like her and no one was going to make her.

The woman finally spoke up, a big smile on her face that gave Emmie the creeps, "I wanted to meet you in person. Embry talks so much about you and I wanted to know you as well. My name's Martha."

Emmie's jaw was tight, her lips a tight line as she stared at the woman, not saying anything, the tension getting heavier as the silence continued.

"Embry tells me you're in sixth grade."

"I've completed sixth grade," Emmie answered, voice flat as she kept staring at the woman, "I'll be starting seventh grade in August."

"That's impressive," Martha smiled bigger and Emmie noticed there was lipstick on her canines -it was very disturbing, "What's your favorite subject at school?"

Embry watched his Princess, almost laughing out loud at the way she arched an eyebrow, "Science. I also like math."

"Oh. Do you want to be a scientist when you grow up?"

Embry knew what was coming and even though he knew Leah and Rick didn't like her superiority complex rearing its condescending head, he found it quiet funny.

"I am a scientist," Emmie kept her blue eyes on the woman, hating the way she was talking down to her, as if she only had half a brain because she was a little kid, "A definition of scientist is a person who studies and practices the sciences. However, my plans for a future career involve degrees in botany, entomology and mineralogy. I'll be studying chemistry, physics and mathematics as well."

She looked like a wide eyed bug, her clown mouth opened slightly in surprise and Emmie couldn't help thinking how dumb she looked. Looking back at Mou, she couldn't fight back the feeling of betrayal, her voice tight and small, "Please put me down."

Embry felt the sharp stabbing pain in his chest, crouching down before he dropped her from the sheer surprise of it, "Princess -"

She didn't let him finish, turning to run back towards her house, dodging the people milling about the front yard. He saw Leah walking out of the house with one year old Xavier in her arms, Tyra by her side -she called out to Emmie but his Princess ran past her and into the house.

Rubbing his hand against his pained chest, he closed his eyes as he tried to figure out how to right the wrong he had obviously done her.

"What a brat."

Teeth snapping hard, he turned to look at Martha, his skin tightening as she kept yapping.

"Obviously, her parents spoil her. Being a genius doesn't give her the right to make others feel stupid."

"Stop," Embry turned to face her, his hands fisted at his sides as he fought back the fire climbing up his back -no one talked about his Princess that way, "You don't know her so you have no right to talk of her like that. Besides, you were the one being condescending, speaking to her as if she were some dim-witted child when I very clearly explained her intelligence level to you."

Martha's shock at the way he spoke to her showed on her face, her eyes wide as he turned and walked away from her without saying another word.

She wasn't sure what had happened but it was obvious, despite having spent the last month meeting Embry twice a week and thinking a friendship was forming, there was going to be no more coffee or lunch 'interviews.'

* * *

As she ran past her, Leah caught a glimpse of the tears running down her little girl's face.

Looking across the yard, she watched Embry talking to a pretty blond by his car and although she was too far away to be able to hear what he was saying, she could tell from his posture he wasn't all too pleased with her.

Letting out a sigh, she looked down at Tyra, crouching to place Xavier on his feet, the tiny Converse sneakers he wore still brand new because she'd yet to let him try out his walking skills outside, "Tyra, honey. Will you watch your little brother for me? I need to go talk to your sister."

"Yes mama," Tyra nodded, blond pigtails tickling her cheeks as she took her little brother's hand, his balance improving as he held on tight, "I take good care of him."

"I know you will, baby," she kissed her forehead, smiling into the brown-green eyes that were identical to her own; "I won't take long, okay?"

"Okay mama."

Heading into the house, she saw Gabriel and his cousins sitting on the living room floor around her coffee table, pencils and papers strewn across the polished surface -they were working on their bike track design, apparently.

"Gabe," Leah smiled at her first born as he looked up at her, "Could you go outside and keep an eye on Tyra and Xavier? Make sure the twins don't pick on her."

"Yep," he nodded, putting down his pencil and getting up, his cousins following after him -it was intriguing for Leah to see that although her son was the youngest of the four, they all tended to follow him...well, except for Marc. He just seemed to go along with the flow.

Reaching her daughters' bedroom, she knocked on the closed door, turning the knob and stepping into the room, not surprised to find her daughter in the center of her bed, glasses perched on her nose as she read the book opened on her lap.

Occasional sniffle let her know she wasn't reading, probably because she couldn't see through the tears that escaped the corner of her eyes, "Emmie -"

"Why would he bring her," Emmie reached up to wipe her nose against the long sleeve shirt she was wearing along with the new jeans, "It's my birthday party, mama, so why would he bring her here?"

"I don't know, baby," Leah moved across the room to sit on Emmie's bed, reaching out to rub soothing circles against her back, "Did you ask him?"

"He said she wanted to meet me," Emmie wiped the back of her hand over her cheeks, pushing her glasses higher up her nose, "Because he told her I was really smart and she was doing her thesis on education and somehow, those two things were related to me."

Leah smiled at the affronted look on her daughter's face, wrapping her arm around the small shoulders, Emmie burying her face into her mother's neck, "Well, baby...it doesn't surprise me Embry's bragging about you -he does think you make the world go 'round -"

"She wasn't here for me," Emmie's voice was muffled but Leah understood every angry word, "She lied to him about wanting to meet me because she likes him."

"And if she does?"

"He's mine," Emmie pulled back, taking her glasses off to look her mama in the eye, "You say so, Daddy says so...so does he."

"Baby," Leah let out a sigh, for the first time wondering if it had been such a good idea in telling her daughter the truth about imprinting and what it entailed, "He does belong to you...but he also needs friends his own age. You still have a long way to grow up, sweetheart, and I don't think it's fair you don't want him to have friends while he waits."

Sniffing, she rubbed her eyes with closed fists, her glasses on her lap, "He can have friends just not girls 'cause they don't want to be his friends, they want more, like you and Daddy."

Leah couldn't help the smile -her daughter was not only a genius but very perceptive...especially when it involved Embry, "In that case, you should talk to Embry and see if he's also interested in more because as far as I know, he's not. But don't take my word for it."

Emmie shook her head, her pigtails whipping against her shoulders, "He'll say no 'cause he won't want to hurt my feelings..."

"He'll say no because it'll be the truth, baby."

Emmie stayed quiet, her eyes downcast as she fingered the corner of the book's pages, Leah practically seeing the wheels turning at top speed in her little head.

Emmie looked up as the idea popped into her head, throwing her arms around her mother's neck, "I got it! Thank you mama!"

Leah was confused as Emmie scrambled off the bed, placing the book and her glasses on her desk, "You've got what?"

She didn't get an answer because Emmie ran out of the room, single-mindedly focused on whatever idea had popped into her head.

Letting out a sigh, she fell back into the multitude of pillows on her daughter's bed, staring up at the ceiling as she let out another tired sigh, her hands resting on her lower stomach.

It was tiring, this mothering job but Leah had no desire to give it up or exchange it for something easier to handle -in all honesty, Leah loved the ups and downs, not to mention total chaos, that came with being a mother of seven.

She smiled softly as her fingers interlocked over her lower abdomen, the hard swell making her heart flood with the burning sensation she knew to be unconditional love.

She was no longer a mother of seven but soon to be eight.

* * *

She knew where he would be, knew that he was waiting for her because he knew she had needed space and time to herself but now that she knew what to do about the whole "friends that are girls that don't really want to be friends," she wanted to be close to him.

Moving around her friends and cousins, she reached the tree house, ignoring the "**_No Girls Allowed_**" sign her brothers, Alyx and Andrey, had nailed to the side of the tree and climbing up, the wooden slats that served as a ladder cutting into her tender palms.

Reaching the opening, she crawled in, smiling at Mou who sat against the opposite wall, an arm resting on his bent knee, his brown eyes looked into hers as he gave her a soft smile, "Are you okay?"

Emmie nodded, walking across the floor until she was able to kneel beside him, hand automatically touching his face to reassure herself he was still there -still hers, "I'm sorry I was rude to your friend."

His smile grew a little bit, his fingers reaching out to give one of her pigtails a gentle tug, "She was more of an acquaintance, Princess. She came up to me at the library last month, wanting to interview me for her thesis."

Emmie's nose wrinkled as she dropped her hand to her lap, "So she said."

He chuckled at her sullen tone, "I'm sorry I brought her here on your birthday."

Emmie lifted a shoulder in a shrug, not able to hide her feelings or thoughts from him and not caring to, "It doesn't matter when you would have brought her, I still wouldn't have liked her...because she was with you."

"Emerie."

She looked up at the serious tone to her given name, looking into his brown eyes as he tilted his head to the side, "Do you remember what I told you some years ago? In this very tree house?"

There was only one other time they'd been up in the tree house, "I'm the only ducky you see?"

He let out a soft chuckle, reaching out to tap his finger against her nose, this time her lips stretching into a smile the way it usually did, "Exactly."

"Mama says it's not fair of me to not want you to have friends that are girls," Emmie dropped her eyes again, rubbing a finger against the inside seam of her jeans, "Because I still have a long way to go in growing up."

"Oh Princess," he couldn't help it anymore, reaching out to pull her into his side, her back against his chest, her legs crossed lotus style, one knee resting against his thigh, "It doesn't matter to me how long I wait -you take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

Emmie tilted her head back to look at him, "So you don't want a girlfriend?"

He placed a kiss on her forehead, a chuckle escaping him as he explained, "There's no point to me getting a girlfriend -not only do I not notice what they look like, I don't even care."

Emmie dropped her chin to her chest, biting her bottom lip as she strummed his knuckles with her thumb, "Because of me?"

"Because I have a purpose in life, Emerie...and that purpose is you."

She nodded, feeling suddenly shy but knowing she had to ask because her idea depended on his answer to her question, "Mou?"

He let out a soft breath, a wave of relief washing over him -he hadn't been oblivious to the fact she hadn't called him hers from the moment she climbed into the tree house until now, "Yes Princess?"

She smiled, knowing that for now she was just that -his Princess, "When I grow up...will you marry me?"

She felt the chuckle vibrate against her shoulder blades but knew he wasn't laughing at her -he would never do that.

"You're asking me to marry you," he tilted her head back with a finger under her chin, "Don't you want to wait until I can ask you?"

She shook her head, bangs brushing her forehead with the motion, "No -I want you to know waiting for me will pay off. Mama says even though you imprinted on me, it's my choice of what to do about it. I want you to know that I will always choose you...and I'll never, ever change my mind."

Embry smiled, hugging her against him as her words wrapped around his heart -to him, this moment was the equivalent of a child asking the same question of an adult, without there being anything but that childlike innocence of what was expected of the future.

"Well, then," Embry smiled at her, his entire world shifting into its upright position when she smiled in return, "In that case, it would be an honor to wait for you to grow up so I can marry you."

They sat in comfortable silence, the sound of their beating hearts soothing them both, Emmie turning to look up into his chocolate brown eyes, "Mou?"

"Yes Princess."

"Do you think she's pretty?"

He couldn't hold back his laughter, pulling her into a tight hug as he dropped a kiss on her head.

"Not as pretty as you, Princess."

* * *

_Later that no-moon night_

Leah collapsed onto the bed beside her husband, both of them letting out a long exhausted breath.

"So glad today fell on a no-moon night," Leah muttered, turning her head to the side to look at her husband, smiling at the tired smile he gave her, "I don't think I could have done any of this without your help."

Rick chuckled, taking her hand in his and interlocking their fingers, "Considering you and Emmie had it all planned out, I pretty much took care of set up, cooking and clean up."

"Which is ninety percent of what a party is," Leah closed her eyes, every muscle in her body exhausted from moving to and from all day.

"I still think letting her have a sleepover at Embry's was overkill."

Leah looked into her husband's eyes, chuckling at his grumbling, "Lili's with her as well as Nika and Vivi."

"I just don't get what he's going to do with four girls in his house," Rick muttered, recalling the slight look of alarm on Embry's face when Emmie begged for a sleepover at his house with her cousins.

"What you always have him do," Leah let out a soft sigh before moving over him, straddling his body as she sat up, her bottom snuggled into his pelvis, "Give her space to be herself. On another note...I have some news to share with you."

His hands had automatically moved to grip her hips when she had moved, his body reacting to hers the way it always did. Looking into her bright brown-green eyes and the soft smile on her lips, he realized what the news was, "Leah, baby...are you serious? Xavier just turned one in March."

Leah laughed softly under her breath as she leaned down, her hair creating a curtain around their faces, "It's not like you're uninvolved, you know."

"One full moon night," Rick reached up to run his fingers through her hair, pulling her down to kiss her smiling lips, "You'd think with age, the little swimmers would slow down but apparently not."

"Rachel suggested we bottle it up and sell it," Leah gave him a teasing nip on the lower lip, her hips rocking against him, the hard evidence of his desire for her rubbing against her with delicious friction, "As for me, there's no way I'll let anyone else have what's mine."

Rick laughed, licking her bottom lip before sucking on the top on, his body moving in rhythm to her rocking, neither feeling any need to rush this moment, "Baby...this is our last one. Promise me."

Leah kissed her way across his jaw and down his throat, letting out a soft moan as he slid his hands into her panties to gently squeeze her bottom while at the same time grinding her against his hard-on, "No promises. I think fate has decided we're amazing parents and however many she wants to give me, I'll take."

Rick groaned, rolling them over until he was over her, his elbows on either side of her head keeping his entire weight off her, "Then I think it's time we start beating them, starving them and refuse to buy them any more shoes."

Leah laughed at that, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down on her, loving the way it felt when he settled his body flush against hers, "Or we can just stop meeting on full moon nights."

Rick frowned, not liking that option but he couldn't help thinking eight kids in their tiny five bedroom house was enough, "I'm thinking we'll have to to come up with an alternate solution."

"That's what I thought."


	54. Chapter 52

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Brad -13yrs,9thgrd/Bailey -13yrs,9thgrd/Vivi -12yrs,8thgrd/Nika -12yrs,8thgrd/Tyra -5yrs,1stgrd/Xavier -1yr/Alyx -6yrs,2ndgrd/Andrey -6yrs,2ndgrd and as always, Gabe's age and school grade is next to the chapter.**

**Enjoy as you read and please review -it would help me post sooner...which, by the way, I'm almost done with the next chapter.**

**Chapter Fifty-Two (12yrsd,8thgrd)**

_Third Wednesday of June_

"Sometimes it seems she doesn't like me."

"Are you fucking kidding? She looks at you like the sun comes out of your ass."

"No need to sound so sarcastic," Gabe turned his head to look at his cousin, the mid-day sun coming in through the large window across the twin size bed he was laying across, "We all know it's true."

Brad scoffed as he picked up a thin copper wire, hunching over his desk, "Not possible, what with your head being in the way."

Gabe had to laugh at that one -it was a brilliant come-back after all, "Good one."

Brad lifted a shoulder in a shrug, keeping his concentration focused on the task at hand, which was putting together the motherboard to his computer, "I have my moments."

Gabe watched his cousin handle the tiny wires and small tools, including a welding pen, "What are you doing?"

"Working on the motherboard for my computer," Brad set aside the welding pen, letting the copper cool before he took a miniscule silver screw from the compartment box where he had everything he needed, "But don't worry, I can multitask so feel free to continue whining."

"I'm not whining."

"Really," Brady turned to look at his cousin, his vision blurred due to the magnifying glasses attached to the headlight strapped around his head, "'Cause you sound like a whiny little bitch to me."

"Ouch," Gabe stretched his arms over his head which hung off the side of the bed, not voicing the fact his cousin looked like a total geek with that headband light/magnifying thing he was wearing, "Maybe I should have gone to Bailey."

Brad scoffed as he turned back to what he was doing, carefully attaching the next piece to the green board, "She would have called you a girl from the get-go and asked if you were on your period."

Even though he didn't look back, Brad knew his cousin was in agreement due to the chuckle he heard.

The silence was comfortable as Brad continued working on what he was doing, Gabe staring out at the upside down view on the other side of the window. A bird flying past the window had him turning his head, his attention snagged by a strange contraption hanging from the corner of the window, "What the hell is that?"

Brad looked up to see what his cousin was pointing at, turning his attention back to his pet project as he answered, "A solar panel. It's how I light up my room at night."

Gabe's eyebrows lowered as he turned to look up at the ceiling, noticing for the first time the bare light bulb hanging from a hole, the wires connected to it taped against the ceiling and leading to the solar panel, a string attached to the base of the bulb, "Does Uncle Sam know you re-wired the light in your room?"

Brad shrugged, not at all preoccupied whether his dad knew or not, "It's saving them on the light bill. Besides, it was a project for school so I don't see why he would care."

"Because you could have burned down the house."

"Not possible," Brad set aside his screwdriver and picked up the hot welding pen, "I called the company and had the electricity shut off to avoid that from happening -I'm not stupid."

Gabe didn't say anything, just turned his attention back to the view outside the window, his head feeling slightly heavy probably due to all the blood that was pooling in it from him being upside down, "So is that what you want to be when you grow up?"

"Be," Brad set his welding pen down, turning in his seat as he took off his light/magnifying glasses, "I'm thirteen, Gabe. All I want to be is racing my bike and finishing my computer before the end of the summer."

"You don't think about what you want to do when you grow up?"

Brad rolled his eyes as he set his light/glasses aside, turning off the welding pen before standing up and stretching his arms over his head, "That's your problem, dude. You're so focused on the future you can't just enjoy being. You're twelve, man. Let time do what it does and you be who you are now. There'll be plenty of time to worry about jobs and careers and crap like marriage and kids."

Gabe sat up, the room spinning for a couple of seconds before the dizziness dissipated, "There's nothing wrong with planning for the future."

"Except the future is now," Brad hitched up his khaki shorts, shoving his feet into the Vans he had gotten for Christmas from his Grandma Linda, "Just like now is past -time is subjective and if you don't live in the now, the future becomes a thing of the past without you."

Gabe stared at his cousin for some time before shaking his head, "I hate when you read philosophy. Can we go now? Bailey and Marc are meeting us at the start of the track."

"One more major alteration," Brad opened his bedroom door, Gabe following behind him as they headed down the hall towards the front door, "And it's ready for the motorized bikes."

Gabe rubbed his hands together, excited because he was finally getting to drive the bike he had gotten on his tenth birthday. Two years of waiting made for a serious build up of anticipation, especially with Marc being able to use his to test out the traction of their track.

"I checked out the Dry Hill website," Brad stepped out onto the porch, his mom and little sister working on the flower beds that wrapped around the left side of their house, "They have junior competitions for twelve to fourteen. All we gotta do is have our parents sign the waivers."

"Oh, is that all," Gabe groused as he picked up his bike from the front yard, Brad taking his from the side of the house where it was kept chained to the railing -he'd put too much of his chore money into the bike to just let it lie around for anyone to take, "Mom's never going to sign a waiver concerning me, a motor bike and injury liability."

Brad laughed, getting onto his bike and pushing off, calling over his shoulder as his mother waved to him, "I'll be back by dinner, ma!"

"You be careful," she called back out, not seeing Brad roll his eyes as he picked up speed, his cousin keeping pace right next to him.

"So there's a fair in Forks next weekend," Gabe tried to sound nonchalant but knew he failed when Brad looked over at him as they made their way across First Beach, "I was thinking we all could go."

"What do you mean by 'we all'?"

"You know," Gabe shrugged, the salty air ruffling his hair and tugging at his clothes as he stood up on the pedals to go faster, his breathing normal as he spoke louder to be heard, "Marc, Bailey, you, me...Vivi and Nika."

"Oh no," Brad was a quick study, just a bit under his cousin Emmie in the genius level so he knew where Gabe was going with this, "No way, man. Not gonna happen."

"Oh come on," Gabe sat back on the bike's seat as they got pass the beach and onto the packed dirt that led towards the forest, "I need you to be my wing man."

"Your wing man?"

"Yeah," Gabe nodded as they both slowed down some more, the echo of voices inside the forest letting them both know Bailey and Marc were already in there working on their track, "Just ask Nika to go on the Ferris wheel with you. Bailey and Marc will more than likely wander off on their own so when they do, you can make your move."

"Oh, so that you can make yours," Brad scoffed as he got off his bike, "It's just cruel, Gabe. The girl has a crush on me -if I ask her to join me on the Ferris wheel, she'll think I feel the same way, which I don't."

"You know, you say that so much I'm starting to wonder if it's true."

Brad wasn't amused by Gabe's teasing being his friends at school did enough of that concerning Nika's strange behavior around him, "You can be your own fucking wing man."

"Okay, man, okay," Gabe reached out to stop his cousin from walking away, "I was just kidding. Come on, help me out. I'm desperate, here."

"Obviously," Brad let out a heavy sigh, leaning his forearms against the handlebars of his bike, "You're really into her, uh?"

"Yeah," Gabe worked hard at not showing embarrassment but didn't succeed, the tip of his ears bright red despite his copper colored complexion, "But she's always at dance class, hanging out with Nika or Marc's in the fucking way. Last time we went for ice cream, stupid idiot tagged along even though he wasn't invited."

"She's his little sister," Brad straightened up, running his fingers through his shaggy hair to get it out of his eyes, "Can you blame him?"

"It's not like I'm going to do something stupid," Gabe let out a frustrated sigh, kicking at a rock before turning to look at his cousin, "Come on, man. I swear, whenever you find some girl you're interested in, I'll be your wing man."

Brad stared at his cousin, fighting back the desire to laugh at the pleading blue eyes looking at him, "Your begging is kind of pathetic."

"So you'll do it?"

Brad let out a sigh as he gave a nod, "Yeah -but if Nika starts stalking me, I'll kick your fucking ass, got it?"

"What the hell's taking you two so long," Bailey glared at them as she walked out of the forest, Marc a couple of steps behind her, "Stop gossiping like fucking girls and let's get to work."

"Sheesh," Gabe rolled his eyes as they moved towards the forest line, Bailey and Marc turning around to go back to where they had been, "Relax, will you? We still have five hours of daylight."

"If it takes five hours to finish the trench, I'm going to shove a stick up your ass," Bailey threatened her cousin as they made their way through the forest, the track they used cleared of stones and branches -it was kept clean and neat year round, all four taking turns to do the upkeep.

Brad leaned closer so he wouldn't be heard by his sister, "Now try telling her about your girl problems -see if she's more understanding than I am."

Gabe couldn't hold back the smile, reaching out to punch Brad hard on the shoulder, "Shut the fuck up, man."

They're laughter increased when Bailey turned to glare at them, neither caring when she muttered loud enough to be heard, "You two are worse than fucking girls."

* * *

_The County Fair_

"I'll be here at ten thirty," Leah looked over at her son and his cousins, "Don't make me wait long."

"We won't mama," Gabe unsnapped his seat belt along with the rest of them, leaning into the front seat to kiss her cheek; "We'll be here on time."

"Good," Leah grinned as the side door to the van slid open, Nika hopping out followed by Bailey and Brad, Marc stepping out and reaching up to give his sister a hand down, "You all have fun, okay?"

"We will," they all called out, Gabe sliding the door closed once he stepped out, all of them waving as she drove off.

Gabe turned to his group of cousins and friends, the lights and music behind them accompanied by screams and laughter, "Let's get our tickets then see where we go first."

"Bumper cars," Bailey spoke up, pulling out a ten dollar bill from the pocket of her jeans as they lined up at the ticket kiosk.

"Totally," Marc stood behind her, looking over his shoulder to make sure Nika was still between Vivi and Gabe, "Then we have to try the Tilt-A-Whirl."

Nika grimaced as she looked over at Vivi, "Last time we were at a fair, I wanted to do the Tilt-A-Whirl but didn't meet the requirements. Just as we were walking away, the group that was on the ride came out and this kid threw up right on my sneakers -it was disgusting."

"Then no food before the Tilt-A-Whirl," Gabe moved to stand at Vivi's other side, Brad hanging back behind them all as Bailey reached the ticket window, purchasing her pass into the fair.

The lady behind the window looped a blue bracelet around Bailey's wrist, telling her it would give her entrance to all the rides but not the games or food stands.

Marc was next, the lady giving him the same spiel, along with the rest of them. Once inside the fair grounds, they all stood to the side in a huddle, discussing what to do first.

"Let's go find the Tilt-A-Whirl," Gabe threw that idea out, "That way we can get it off the list then find something to eat."

"Oh," Vivi's gold-brown eyes lit up as she caught sight of a stand some feet away, "They have funnel cakes!"

They all laughed, even Bailey who faintly thought how much like a child Vivi had just sounded. Reaching up to flick her bangs off her forehead, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, "Why don't we split up?"

"Or," Marc arched an eyebrow as he turned to look at her, "We could each suggest one option for all of us to do."

"That sounds like a good idea," Nika nodded, not at all keen with the idea of walking the fairgrounds with just Vivi as company, "Daddy said to make sure we all stay together 'cause there might be some weirdoes around here."

"Fine," Bailey let out a sigh, looking around at the crowd, deciding she too didn't like the idea of being on her own, "Tilt-A-Whirl then bumper cars after that, yes?"

"Shooting booth to follow," Marc pointed towards the booth across from where they were.

"The roller coaster after that," Gabe threw out his option, all of them turning to look at Brad who gave a shrug, "I don't really have anything -" he sucked in a breath at the shooting pain caused by Gabe stomping on his toe, "I suppose we could do the Ferris Wheel."

Vivi reached up to push her thick braid over her shoulder, "All I want is to try out the food -they're selling fried ice cream over there."

Marc turned to look over his shoulder, his eyebrows lowering over dark brown eyes, "How the hell do you fry ice cream?"

"We'll ask when we go get some," Gabe's smile widened as he clapped his hands, "Let's go get in line. We don't have time to waste so let's have some fun."

They waited at the Tilt-A-Whirl for seven minutes, all of them staying close together. Marc did his best to keep an eye on Gabe but Bailey's conversation was interesting enough to distract him from his mission to keep his sister away from him. Gabe himself was carrying on a conversation with Vivi and Nika, Brad staying to the side, not really saying anything because the topic wasn't interesting to him at all.

Once on the Tilt-A-Whirl, they were split up, Gabe making sure he was in the spot next to Vivi, Marc and Bailey right across from them while Brad and Nika were next to each other several spots away from where Vivi stood.

The ride had them all screaming in frightening delight, Vivi's hand holding on tight to Gabe's while Marc glared at him, jaw tight as he kept his grip on the bar.

They when on the rides in the order suggested, Marc occasionally shouldering his way between Gabe and Vivi whenever he deemed them being too close. While at the shooting booth -both Bailey and Marc were enjoying themselves there -Vivi pointed out a tossing ring booth some spots down from the shooting one, Gabe going with her while Nika and Brad just hung back, neither saying anything to the other.

"Hey, how about the Ferris Wheel," Gabe called out as they walked through the grounds, Vivi and Nika sharing pink and blue cotton candy while Bailey munched on a turkey leg, Marc eating a bratwurst hot dog and Brad popping peanuts into his mouth, "The line isn't that long."

They headed that way, unconsciously paring up, Brad giving Nika a tight smile as he moved to stand next to her, Gabe and Vivi behind them, Bailey and Marc in front.

Taking Vivi's hand, Gabe held up a finger to his mouth as he pulled her back, letting people cut in front of them. Vivi leaned in to whisper, "What are you doing?"

"Let's let them get on," Gabe watched as Bailey and Marc were seated in one of the bucket seats, both of them talking and not paying attention as the bar went down and the wheel moved to bring down the next empty seat, "Then we can do something together -without your brother breathing down our necks."

Vivi giggled at that, looking over to see Bailey and Marc already several feet off the ground, Nika and Brad in the seat below them. Turning to smile at him, she gave his hand a squeeze, "Let's go while he's still distracted."

They ran off, both of them laughing as they heard Marc yell out her name. Keeping her hand in his, he pulled her around a food stall towards the carousel, "Wanna give that a try?"

Vivi grinned, loving the way the horses and carriages moved up and down as they went around in a circle, "A carriage or separate horses?"

"I'd like to sit with you."

She blushed as they stood in line, majority of those waiting for their turn young children with parents. Once on the carousel floor, they went in search of a carriage, finding one that was painted white with pink roses and ribbons on the edges.

They sat together, hands clasped between them as the carousel began to move, Gabe's thumb tapping the star charm that hung from her bracelet. He hadn't seen her without it since he gave it to her and he fleetingly wondered if she ever took it off.

"How's dance class?"

She smiled up at him, happiness bubbling inside her because he had asked, "It's great. Miss Trinity is having us learn another form of dance to implement into our ballet individuals. There's going to be a competition end of July and she's going to be picking the three best individuals and three best duos to compete. Nika and I really want to get to do both."

Gabe nodded, liking the way her gold-brown eyes danced with excitement, feeling a stab of irrational jealousy that something like dance can make her face light up that way, "So what other dance are you learning?"

"I picked up jazz," Vivi reached up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear, her shoulder up against his as she happily explained, "I'm using the new Taylor Swift song for my individuals. Nika and I paired up for the duos and are figuring out how to blend the jazz and ballet with her tap."

"Sounds like a challenge," Gabe tugged her up off the bench once the ride finished, keeping her smaller hand in his as they jumped off and headed towards the games, "Where are the competitions going to be held?"

"Seattle," Vivi couldn't hold back a skip of excitement as she looked up at him, "Would you like to come and watch? I can ask Tia Rosa to buy you a ticket."

"Sure," Gabe smiled down at her, a strange sensation in his chest that felt like a hard pull, "You came to all my games during the school year so I can go to your dance things."

Vivi smiled up into his blue eyes, the butterflies in her stomach flapping up a storm as the humming tension increased between them, finally breaking when Vivi looked away, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth.

"Hey, look," Gabe pointed at a booth some feet away, "Darts. Come on -I'll win you a teddy bear."

Vivi giggled as he tugged her towards the booth, his hand already pulling out a couple of dollars from his jeans' pocket, "What if they don't have teddy bears?"

Gabe looked at the prizes hanging on the sides of the wooden flats that made up the stalls, one of them catching his attention as he pointed at it, "What about that one?"

Vivi looked towards where he was pointing, smiling as her eyes landed on the plush toy -a furry wolf with pointy ears, his color a deep brown with some red in it, "Ah, it's cute. You think you can win it?"

Gabe gave her a cocky smile as he handed his money over, getting three darts for every dollar; being told he needed to pop three balloons in a row to be able to win a prize, "Watch me."

She giggled, happy to stay nearby and do just that.

* * *

Marc was pissed -not only had Gabriel snuck off with his sister but she had obviously gone along with the stupid boy. Had the damn Ferris wheel not stopped when the seat he shared with Bailey had reached the top, he wouldn't have been able to see them heading off to the carousel, holding hands.

Damn but it pissed him off to see him that close to his sister.

"Will you relax," Bailey leaned against the side of the seat, refusing to look down because she had just realized she didn't like heights -an interesting phenomenon considering she didn't mind looking down from the cliff's height of fifteen feet into the churning ocean beneath, "All they're doing is holding hands."

"That's how it starts," Marc watched them get off the carousel, his jaw tightening when they got lost in the crowd, "Holding hands then kissing -I swear if he kisses her, I'm going to rip his face off."

"Okay," Bailey looked over at him, trying to comprehend the venom behind his words, "I understand the whole they're not right for each other shit, considering it's just wrong for them to be together but you seem to have a bigger issue over it. Why?"

"He's no good for her," Marc crossed his arms as he leaned back, their bucket seat lurching as the wheel started to move again, "I know he'll hurt her without even trying and my sister doesn't deserve that."

"You don't know that."

Marc turned to give her a condescending look that really ticked her off, "Really? Your kind imprints. You don't fall in love, you imprint. Simply put, he'll get her heart then break it when he imprints on someone better suited to pass on his fucking genes."

Bailey rolled her eyes, letting out a huffing breath, "You're a fucking dickwad. For all you know, she's the one he'll imprint on -if he ever does."

"It's a matter of time," Marc got off the seat as soon as the bar was lifted, Bailey following behind him as the wheel moved to let the next couple off, "And I am not going to let it happen."

* * *

Brad kept his hands in the pockets of his jeans as they followed behind Marc and Bailey, able to tell already Marc was pretty ticked off.

"You think it'll get ugly?"

Brad looked over at Nika, noticing for the first time how her eyes were a bit slanted at the ends, lashes so dark he wondered if she was wearing any make-up, "Depends on what Gabe and Vivi are doing when Marc finds them."

Nika shook her head as they moved around people, her long legs keeping pace with his wider strides, "For Vivi's sake, I hope nothing happens. She really likes Gabe but Marc is her brother."

"Try explaining that to Gabe," Brad reached out to pull Nika to the side, saving her from a collision with a guy twice her size that wasn't looking where he was going, "It ticks him off how protective Marc is of Vivi."

"Why wouldn't it," Nika fought back the blush that threatened, her arm tingling where he had taken hold of it even though he was no longer touching her, "Marc pushes protective to a whole other level."

"Yep," Brad grimaced as he caught sight of Gabe and Vivi, looking to see if Marc had seen them yet -this wasn't going to end well.

Especially because Gabe and Vivi were a hair's width away from kissing.

* * *

Vivi's smile nearly blinded him as he gave her the stuffed toy, his chest tight as she hugged it against her chest, "Thank you! I really, really love it."

Gabe chuckled as he reached out to tug at the wolf's ear, "Are you going to give it a name?"

Vivi bit her bottom lip as she looked into the glass eyes looking up at her, a little surprised to find they were blue with wide black pupils, "I'm not sure...what do you think I should name it?"

Gabe watched her studying the wolf like it were a matter of life and death coming up with a name for it, finally giving her a suggestion, "How about Spastic?"

Vivi looked up at him in surprise, "Spastic? What made you think of that?"

Gabe shrugged, not wanting to tell her that the idea of her sleeping with the plush toy he won for her and calling it after his alter-ego made him feel strange but in a good way, "Just came to me. Do you like it?"

"Mhm," Vivi held the wolf up to her face, her lips spreading into a smile as she looked over at him, "I think it's perfect."

They smiled at each other, neither looking away as the rest of the world faded away, leaving just the two of them. Gabe reached up to touch her soft cheek, his fingers feeling a bit rough to her but she liked it, her eyelashes fluttering as he moved closer.

She was really hoping he was going to kiss her.

Gabe was gathering up his courage to close the last bit of distance between them when a hard shove send him flying into the packed dirt, passing people moving to the side as he shoved himself to his feet, his jaw tight as he shoved Marc, "What the fuck is your problem?"

"I've told you, time and time again," Marc grabbed Gabe's shirt in his fists, pulling him forward to growl into his face, "Stay away from my sister."

"Marc, stop it," Vivi tugged at Marc's arm, her stomach cramping painfully at the look on her brother's face, "Let him go."

Marc shoved Gabe away; his sister let out a sigh of relief as she moved back, which was a good thing because Gabe wasn't as willing to let it go at that.

His head snapped back as Gabe's fist connected with his jaw, Marc swinging hard enough to break Gabe's nose, both boys going at it with silent intent in causing maximum damage.

Vivi kept yelling at them to stop but neither listened to her, both of them too busy in showing who the hell was boss over her, which was simply ridiculous because she didn't belong to either one of them.

Bailey let out a shrill whistle in an attempt to get their attention off each other but it didn't work, people crowding around them as someone yelled for the police.

Brad shook his head, already knowing this was not going to end with them outside the fair grounds at ten thirty waiting for Aunt Leah.

* * *

Sure enough, it didn't end the way they had planned. Instead, all six of them sat in plastic chairs in the small hallway of the Forks Police Department, the secretary behind the small desk occasionally looking over at them to make sure they were all behaving.

The deputy walked out from a door that led to the jail cells, giving them all a narrow eyed look, "Sheriff Swan will be talking to you in a few minutes so sit tight and don't cause any more trouble."

"I don't even know why I'm here," Bailey grumbled under her breath, shifting in the uncomfortable seat as she sent a pointed look towards Marc, "I had nothing to do with it."

Brad let out a sigh, leaning his head back to rest against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, "Neither did I but you don't hear me whining, do you?"

"Oh shut the fuck up."

"Bailey Susannah Uley," Charlie's gruff voice had them all sitting straight in their chairs, six pairs of eyes trained on Forks' Sheriff as he walked down the short hallway to where they were sitting, "I expect better language from you, young lady. I'm sure your mother wouldn't appreciate knowing you have a filthy mouth."

Bailey bit her bottom lip, dropping dark brown eyes to the tiled floor, "Sorry Uncle Charlie."

"Mhm," Charlie looked over to Gabriel, who was sporting a broken nose along with dark bruising over one eye. Looking at Marc, he noticed the swollen jaw and dried up blood slashing across an eyebrow, "Now can you two explain to me what the hell you were thinking, rolling around like a couple of hooligans?"

Marc threw a glare at Gabe but didn't say anything, both of them understanding the unspoken rule that came with the dichotomy of them being friends and enemies at the same time -there was no tattling on each other.

Charlie let out a sigh of frustration, "I've called your parents. Gabriel, your mom's taking you to the hospital to get your nose set. Marc, your Uncle's on his way over and he'll be taking you too just to make sure you don't have any broken bones."

"I don't," Marc muttered through his teeth, the ache in his jaw making it impossible for him to open his mouth wide enough to speak clearly.

Charlie let out another sigh, shaking his head as he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, "As for the rest of you -I'll be dropping you off at your homes. Sandy, keep an eye on these two, will you?"

"Yes Sherriff," the secretary nodded, her dark hair cut at an angle, the ends brushing her jaw line.

"Okay," Charlie took his hat from the hooks beside the front door, the keys to his cruiser already in hand, "Let's go, you four."

Bailey, Brad, Vivi and Nika stood up, quietly following behind him as they filed out of the station, leaving behind a sullen Marc and angry Gabriel, the four seats between them not enough space to keep either one from glaring at each other as they waited for their parents to arrive.

The night had definitely not ended in the way they had all planned.

* * *

_Third Weekend of July_

"Are you sure this is gonna work?"

"Yeah. She thinks we went to the beach with Uncle Seth and Zak. We'll sneak up on her -she's gonna scream."

They both giggled as they quietly snuck around the side of their house, able to hear Ty and Avy playing in the sandbox, "I say, if we make her jump, it counts."

"Oh yeah," Alyx nodded, carefully leaning around the corner to make sure their sister was where they thought she was -yup, sitting right in the middle of the sandbox with her back to them. She was helping Avy fill up a bucket with moist sand.

Pulling back, he looked over at his twin and partner in crime, "Alright, this is gonna be tricky. We can't let Avy see us or he'll blow the whole thing. Got the lizard?"

"Gecko," Andrey slipped his hand into the front pocket of his denim overalls -Alyx was wearing a similar one but with a green shirt instead of blue -pulling out a small gecko they had caught in their mama's flower garden, "You pull her shirt, I drop the gecko."

"That's the plan."

Looking around the corner, they were pleased as punch to see Avy had moved to sit next to Ty -now they both had their backs to them, which was perfect.

"Fast and quiet," Alyx whispered, both of them nodding in unison as they moved across the backyard towards their younger siblings, both intent on one thing -to get the jump on their five year old sister for the first time ever.

"Mama's watching from the kitchen window."

They stopped in their tracks, the shock on their identical faces warranted considering their bare feet on the grass had made no noise, the sun in front of them so there had been no shadows to warn them either_ and_ they hadn't turned around at all during their sneak attack attempt.

Looking at each other, they turned to see their mama was indeed watching from the large kitchen window.

Ty tapped the bottom of the upside down bucket before pulling it up, leaving behind a tower of packed sand, Avy clapping his tiny hands in complete awe of his sister's talent.

Setting the bucket to the side, she twisted to around to give her brothers' the 'naughty boys' look she had picked up from their Daddy, "Put Skippy back in the garden. He eats all the bugs so they won't eat mama's pretty flowers."

Alyx stomped his bare foot, angry their plan had been foiled -again, "How'd you know we were coming?"

Ty tapped her temple, brown-green eyes bright with inner laughter at her brothers' constant failures at scaring her, "I'm smarter than you. I saw you and Ady catching Skippy earlier today and knew you were up to no good."

Blue eyes narrowed at his sister before he looked to his brother who gave him a shrug, momentarily distracted with keeping Skippy from escaping. Letting out a dramatic sigh of frustration, Alyx turned to head back where they had come from, Andrey alongside him, "We'll get you someday."

Ty smiled at her brother's muttered words, giggling as Avy smashed his hands into the sand tower, "Not gonna happen."

* * *

Leah chuckled under her breath as she watched her boys stomping across the yard, the only one visibly upset Alyx being Andrey usually just tagged along whenever his younger twin had some plan for mischief.

It had been a long summer, those two having tried her patience endlessly with their antics. In the past month alone, they had freed Emmie's ladybugs inside the house, re-decorated their new upstairs bedroom walls with magic markers, melted their crayons in the dryer, colored Zak's aquarium water purple and almost got themselves killed by deciding to become superheroes, which required them to learn to fly.

Had Rick not arrived from work -he was teaching summer classes this year for extra money -at just the right time, her boys would have jumped off the porch roof without any thought to the consequences. Now, thanks to that particular stint of theirs, Rick had bought locks for their window, knowing they would likely attempt it again no matter what he told them. It seemed those two had this thing where they had to find out for themselves what was good or bad instead of taking someone else's word for it.

It was during the summer breaks Leah truly appreciated their teachers despite the constant calling in during the school year. Their fertile little imaginations were in constant turn-over, both of them quite adept at getting out of minor trouble with their dimpled smiles full of charm, although minor trouble was rare with those two. Unfortunately for her, she fell for the big blue eyes and dimpled smiles no matter how big or little the trouble –were it not for Rick, her two boys would be well in their way into becoming delinquents without comprehension of consequences.

The sound of the front door opening had her looking over her shoulder as she set the knife to the side, putting the cut up potatoes into the boiling pot of water.

Alyx and Andrey trekked into the kitchen, their little bare feet leaving behind footprints -they both preferred running around without shoes whenever they were allowed. Rick stated it was the Quileute in them that had them running around like little heathens.

"Mama, mama," Alyx ran into the kitchen, Andrey right behind him, his hands cupped which let Leah know there was more than likely some critter in there she was not going to like, "Can we keep Skippy?"

Leah took a deep breath as she looked into their adorable little faces, "Who, exactly, is Skippy?"

Andrey spread opened his cupped hands enough for the reptile's little head to pop out, Leah jumping a bit in surprise, "Oh! A lizard."

"It's not a lizard," Andrey corrected her, smiling down at the big brown eyes that stared up at him; "It's a gecko."

"Well, uhm..." Leah bit the inside of her cheek, not at all excited about the gecko as they were. It was almost hilarious how, being a woman who hated bugs and reptiles or anything that wasn't fuzzy and cute, she had five boys -and one girl -who were fascinated with the cold blooded little critters, "Don't you think Skippy would be happier outside?"

"Ty says he keeps your flowers bug free," Alyx hugged her jean clad leg, his small feet stepping on hers, "But he's lonely -he needs a friend."

"Slinky will be his friend," Andrey spoke up as he moved closer to her, not seeing how she nearly climbed onto the counter to keep distance from the little green reptile in his hands, "They'll get along really good. Promise."

She stared into their puppy dog eyes, knowing she wasn't going to be able to say no but there was one more thing she needed to ask, no matter how hesitant she was about the answer, "Uhm...who's Slinky?"

"Our snake."

Leah's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she squeaked out the hated word, "Snake?"

"Yup," Andrey nodded once as he went back to keeping Skippy from escaping him, "We found him last week in your garden -they might already be friends!"

"We gotta get them back together," Alyx exclaimed, hopping on Leah's foot as he tugged at her jeans, "Please, mama. Please."

Oh, how she was looking forward for school to start.


	55. Chapter 53

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I'm giving everyone a fair warning -this is a long chapter plus it contains some lemon features. I would love to list the ages of kids like I usually do but there's so many of them in this chapter so please, check out the family tree, which is the fourth chapter. It's been updated and has all the ages and school grades of all the kids that appear in this chapter -mostly the Laskaris and Clearwater kiddos.**

**Please, read and enjoy then give me some joy by leaving a review!**

**Chapter Fifty-Three (12yrs old)  
**_ August, First Day of School  
Forks Middle School  
_

"Okay, baby," Leah zipped up the small brown leather backpack her daughter had picked out in an effort to be grown up despite having really liked a purple one with glittery butterflies, "Your class schedule is in your binder, along with your locker number and combination."

"Okay, mama," Emmie smiled into her mother's eyes even though she already knew all this -they had gone over it a dozen times already.

"Now, if anything happens, you tell your teachers, okay," Leah gently turned her by the shoulders, helping her slip her arms through the shoulder straps, making sure it was situated correctly before turning her around again, "Every one of them has our contact information and we'll come straight away, okay?"

"I'll be alright, mama," Emmie adjusted the straps to her backpack since it was tugging at the collar of her shirt, giving her mother a bright smile.

They were standing outside the administration office of Forks Middle School, having been asked by the principal and counselor to come in early for a pep-talk with Emmie. It wasn't very often they had an academic prodigy of the tender age of nine beginning their seventh grade curriculum and they wanted to make sure it would all go smoothly for the little girl.

Leah was crouched in front of Emmie, her heart beating hard as she straightened the little button-up white blouse with the round collar, her khaki pleated skirt held up by a brown leather belt, white knee high socks on her skinny legs and brown penny loafers on her small feet.

She had swept her dark hair back into a half ponytail, the dark tresses ending in the middle of her back with a white ribbon tied into a perfect bow resting on the crown of her head. Despite the grown up style of her outfit, Leah couldn't help but think her baby looked small and vulnerable and not at all ready for the treacherous waters that was a school full of pre-teens and teenagers.

"Embry will be right here when school's out, okay? He needs to sign you out before you leave the school grounds."

"I know, mama," Emmie smoothed her hands down the front of her new skirt, feeling very grown up in what she was wearing, "Principal Finn explained it would be for my safety because I'm younger than the other students."

"Exactly," Leah reached up to fix the white bow holding her hair back even though it didn't need fixing, "Make sure you sit right by the teacher's desk, okay? It'll be easier for them to keep an eye on you."

"Mama," Emmie reached out to touch her mother's face, little fingers stroking her defined jaw and high cheekbones, "Everything's going to be alright. Gabe will look after me -so will Vivi. Don't worry."

"Oh, baby, I'm not worried," Leah pulled her into her arms, kissing her cheek before pulling back to give her a bright smile, "Would you like me to walk you to your first class? Maybe I'll come in during your lunch period -"

"Mama," Emmie shook her head as she leaned in to give her mother a squeeze around her neck, whispering into her ear before letting go, "I'm going to be okay. Don't worry -please."

Letting out a breath, Leah fought back the urge to pick her little girl up and take her away from anything that could hurt her. She knew kids were cruel to each other, whether on purpose or not. It was the primary reason why she was so hesitant in leaving her baby here, surrounded by kids so much older than her who were more concerned with their own needs and wants, not at all caring for others' feelings.

"I'm not worried..." Emmie's pointed look had her revising her words, "Okay, I'll try not to worry," Leah cupped her long fingered hands around her baby's precious face, giving her a soft smile, "You enjoy your first day of school, okay, baby? I know you'll do great."

Emmie nodded, reaching up to wrap her fingers around her mother's slim wrists, "I will, mama. I'll make you and Daddy proud of me."

Leah chuckled softly, leaning forward to press a kiss against Emmie's forehead, her thumbs stroking across her cheekbones, delicately defined by the loss of baby fat over the last year, "We already are, baby."

Emmie's smile grew, skinny arms wrapping around her mother's waist as soon as she stood up, the round baby bump of her new baby brother or sister hard against her cheek, "I love you, mama."

"I love you too, baby," Leah ran her fingers through the silky strands of her daughter's hair, still reluctant at having to let her go but knowing she had no choice -her daughter was excited over this new phase in her life and she couldn't take it away from her, "How about you walk me to the front entrance? Unless you want me to go with you to find your locker."

Emmie shook her head as she stepped back, taking her mother's hand in her smaller one as they made their way towards the front entrance to the new school building she was now a student at, "I can find it on my own. I'll see you at home, okay?"

"Okay, baby," Leah let out a breath, straightening the thigh length black jersey knit top she wore with dark purple leggings and black mid-calve length boots, "See you at home, then. Love you."

"Love you too."

Emmie watched with a smile as her mother walked out, staying where she was to wave at her every time she turned to look back, which was a total of five times before she had to turn the corner towards the parking lot.

Dropping her arm, she bit her lip as she turned around to survey the view before her -not many kids were present due to it being a little under an hour before first bell but it didn't keep her from feeling a little nervous. The principal had assured her mama they had done their best to place her in the same classes as her other sixth grade classmates so she could at least know a person or two, hoping it would help integrate her into her new routine.

What Emmie didn't bother to tell them was it didn't really matter -she wasn't friends with any of her classmates, some of them having been a little mean to her while others just didn't know how to treat her. She supposed she couldn't blame their inability to comprehend how someone her age could be just as smart, or in most cases, smarter than them.

Finding the locker she had been assigned, she reached up towards the lock, the tips of her fingers barely touching the dial.

She fell back on her heels with a sigh. She knew they had installed the half lockers four feet off the ground to cut down on bullying (apparently some teenagers thought it funny to shove kids into the full sized ones and lock them in) but now there was no way for her to be able to even open said locker, even if she stood on her tiptoes and stretched as far as she could.

Sometimes people's stupidity made her want to cry.

"Aren't you in the wrong place, kid? The playground's two streets down where the elementary school is at."

Emmie turned around, tilting her head back to look into the face of some pimply boy jock, if the football jacket he wore was anything to go by, "Is it the one you like to play in?"

The boy's friend -also a pimply faced jock with a football jacket -laughed as he slapped his friend's arm, "Will you look at that? She fights back."

"You're a smart-mouthed brat, uh?"

"You should never pose your opinion as a question," Emmie tilted her head to the side, dark hair spilling over her shoulder, "Makes you seem witless."

Emmie stood her ground even though it was a bit scary when the boy stepped towards her -what kind of person found it acceptable to intimidate a kid half their size?

"Hey, back off."

She made sure not to let it show how grateful she was when her brother stepped between the boy and her, forcing him to take a step back as he sneered, "Playing hero to the nerds, Gabe?"

Gabe's eyebrow arched up, face impassive as he poked the guy's chest with his index finger, "She's my little sister, numbnut. You pick on her, you answer to me. Got it?"

The boy threw up his hands in a show of surrender, taking another step back, "Sorry, dude. Didn't know she was your sister."

"Yeah, man," his friend shrugged as if it weren't a big deal, "No harm, no foul."

Gabe scowled at both of them, "Does picking on a little kid make you feel like a man? You're pathetic, James."

"I'll show you pathetic."

"Is there a problem here, gentlemen?"

They all turned, the principal walking towards them as the foyer started filling up with arriving students.

"No, Principal Finn," the pimply faced bully shook his head, shoving his fisted hands into the pockets of his jacket, "No problem. Gabe was just introducing us to his sister."

"Is that so," Principal Finn's face showed his doubts as he stopped beside them, "Go on to your class, Mr. Simmons. I don't want to see you in the hallway."

"Yes, sir," he nodded, slapping his friend's arm with the back of his hand as he smirked at Gabe, "Let's go, Chad. See you at practice, Gabe."

Gabe didn't respond, watching them walk away before turning to look down at Emmie, giving her a smile to let her know it would be okay, "You alright, sis?"

She nodded, one end of her ribbon tickling the top of her ear, "You should know -numbnut is not an actual word."

Principal Finn shook his head with a small chuckle, giving Gabe a pat on the back before he continued on his routine morning walk through the school grounds, putting a stop to any disruptive behavior.

"It may not be an actual word but that's what he is," Gabe opened the locker next to hers, pushing his gym bag into it before he grabbed his backpack where he kept a new set of notebooks and pens -he had had an early morning football team meeting, "You need anything from your locker?"

Emmie shook her head, thumbs hooked into the straps of her backpack, "I have everything I need in my backpack -I just wanted to give the combination a try but I can't reach it."

Gabe looked down at her, realizing for the first time she was shorter than most kids her age -hell, even Zak, who was younger than her, was about two inches taller, "I can open it for you if you want."

Emmie shook her head again, "There's nothing in there so what's the point? Besides, if I can't reach it by myself, then I can't use it -you won't always be around to open it for me."

"So you're going to carry all your books all the time," Gabe closed his locker, clicking the lock in place, "That's gonna suck big time."

Emmie shrugged, giggling as Gabe playfully pushed her head down to reach behind her and opened her backpack, pulling out her brand new binder, "What are you doing?"

"Getting your schedule," Gabe tickled the back of her neck, grinning at her giggles -he'd known since she was a bitty baby it was her ticklish spot, "That way, I'll see when I can help you switch out your books, otherwise you'll break your back."

Emmie rolled her eyes, about to tell him the statistical improbabilities of such a thing happening when a familiar voice stopped her, "Hi Emmie!"

Both Emmie and Gabe grinned as Vivi approached them from across the foyer. She was a favorite of theirs, although for completely different reasons.

"Hi Vivi!"

"How's your first day of seventh grade going?"

"So far," Emmie lifted a shoulder as Gabe pulled out her class schedule from her purple binder, "It's been enlightening."

Vivi giggled, looking over at Gabe to give him a shy smile, "How has your day been so far?"

"Well," Gabe pulled a notebook from his backpack along with a pen, scrawling down his sister's schedule on the inside cover before returning it to her binder then to her backpack, "My kid sister's already correcting me and my teammates are acting like jerks."

Vivi grimaced, giving Emmie an encouraging smile, "Don't worry, Emmie. We'll look out for you."

"I'm not worried," Emmie took a step back as soon as Gabe zipped up her backpack, "Mama has all the teachers looking out for me as well so it shouldn't be difficult to adjust."

"Well, depends on who's doing the adjusting," Gabe gently cuffed her chin before pulling her into his side, his hand on her shoulder as he took Vivi's hand in his free one, "She's got history first. Want to come with me to walk her to class?"

Vivi nodded, a pink blush staining her cheeks, "No problem. My English class is right across from Mr. Benson's anyway. I can show you to your next class if you want, Emmie."

The nine year old shook her head, "No, thank you Vivi. I was supplied a map of the school along with my schedule. I plotted all my classes and the quickest routes to get to each one in the five minutes allotted between them. I should be fine."

Stopping outside Emmie's class, Gabe gave her a one armed hug, "Word of advice, sis. Be a genius just don't sound like one."

Emmie gave him a quizzical look, not sure why that was advice, "Why not?"

"It makes people feel stupid and they don't like it."

Emmie stared up at her brother, blinking big blue eyes at him, "I don't have the power to make people feel stupid unless they already think they are. In that case, I don't see why I should let other people's insecurities dictate my behavior."

Gabe gave Vivi a long suffering look, blue eyes slightly glazed as he whispered under his breath, "That's what I'm talking about."

Vivi laughed, bumping her shoulder against Gabe's, "Leave her alone. I think she's brilliant and shouldn't hide it."

Emmie grinned up at the girl she had idolized since she was old enough to play with dolls, "Thank you Vivi."

Gabe forced himself not to roll his eyes as the first bell rang, the crowd in the hallway swelling as everyone made their way to their first period class, "Go on in before all the front row seats are taken."

"Will I see you at lunch?"

Gabe gave his little sister a smile, reaching out to tug at her hair, "You can sit with us. Enjoy your class, okay?"

"I will."

Just as he was about to turn to say good-bye to Vivi -his own classroom several doors down -Emmie piped up before darting into her history class, "I won't tell Marc you two are holding hands again."

* * *

_September 3rd  
Forks High School  
_

It was lunch time and he didn't really feel like sitting with his fellow baseball teammates, instead opting to sit outside. He'd found himself a shaded spot beside the library, the forest line stretching out some feet away from where he was.

Marc let out a sigh as he sat on the low ledge of a barren flowerbed, leaning back until his shoulder blades touched the wall. His backpack was on the ground between his feet, his sack lunch on his lap.

Staring out into the forest, his nose wrinkled at the faint scent of a bobcat, his stomach growling but he wasn't going to be able to go in search of heartier sustenance in the middle of a school day so he opened the brown paper bag that held his roast beef sandwich along with a Twinkie and fudge brownie, knowing he would have to settle due to having practice after school let out, then homework after that.

Ninth grade was going to bite.

Taking a healthy bite of his sandwich, he leaned his head back against the wall, slowly chewing as he listened to the voices of his schoolmates, most of them hanging out in the courtyard during the one hour lunch break they had. He knew his fellow baseball teammates tended to hang out by the picnic tables catty-cornered to where the cheerleaders hung out but didn't bother to see if his absence had been noted.

A faint familiar scent tickled his nose but he didn't bother to look around, not even when an equally familiar voice spoke up some feet beside him, "Why aren't you hanging out with your friends?"

"They have nothing of interest to talk about," Marc bit into his sandwich, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smile as he chewed, the hot radish mustard bringing out the taste in the roast beef and sharp cheddar cheese.

"What topics of conversation interest you?"

Swallowing, he uncapped his sports drink, taking a healthy gulp before answering, his eyes studying the forest line, "Literature, art, baseball. Sometime even politics."

She giggled and he couldn't help smiling at the sound -it sounded just the way he remembered, "I can see why you find them boring, then. I'm sure they don't have much of an opinion concerning the political climate of today."

Marc laughed at that, biting into his sandwich as a snack box appeared in his peripheral vision along with the one question he'd missed the past seven years, "Animal cracker?"

Swallowing what he had in his mouth, he looked up at the familiar brown eyes, grinning as he sifted through the crackers until he found the rhinoceros one, "Haven't had these since you left."

"You should have had your aunt buy you some," she moved to sit next to him, placing her messenger bag beside her.

Marc shook his head as he bit the head off, looking her over as he mentally cataloged what was different and what had remained the same, "Wouldn't have been the same. How was Florida?"

"Sunny," she gave him a big smile, her golden blond hair swept from her face and held with a black headband, "We had a house near the beach so I spent a lot of time there."

"Explains the tan," Marc took another cookie from the box, making sure he left behind the monkeys, just in case they were still her favorite, "So how come you're back?"

"My parents got a divorce," she looked down at the sandwich she had pulled out of her own lunch sack, digging the toe of her black Mary Jane shoes into the grass as she explained further, "Mom wanted to come back since her parents are still here...I decided to come with her."

"I'm sorry about your parents," Marc gently bumped his shoulder against hers in what was meant as a comforting gesture, "That must really suck."

She lifted a shoulder in a shrug, taking a small bite out of her sandwich, the silence comfortable as they both ate, the box of animal crackers sitting between them to be shared.

"So you play baseball, uh," she gestured towards his windbreaker, smiling as he nodded, "Yeah. I made it into the junior varsity team. What about you?"

"I'm trying out for the swim team this Saturday," she wrapped her sandwich, having eaten half of it and feeling full, "I think I may look into track as well -I used to run with my dad in the mornings on the beach."

The bell rang, signaling the end of their lunch hour, the noise level increasing as food was thrown away, conversations continuing as everyone made their way to their fourth period class.

"Can I walk you to class," Marc asked as he stood up, picking up his backpack as he unwrapped his fudge brownie, breaking it in half and offering it to her.

"Thanks," she took it as she lifted the strap of her bag over her head, the bag resting on her hip as they made their way around the library towards the courtyard, "I have biology with Mr. Banner."

"So do I," he grinned down at her as they made their way to their class, "Want to be lab partners?"

"That would be fun."

They walked in silence, eating the last of the brownie as they reached their class. Reaching out, he stopped her with a hand on her arm, smiling down into her velvet brown eyes, "I'm glad you're back, Betty."

She smiled up at him, nudging his side with her elbow, "I told you I would be, remember?"

* * *

_October 26th_

_10:42 AM_

They had celebrated his thirtieth birthday by going out dancing, Sue having offered to keep Marc, Vivi and two year old Carlos for the night. It had been a great night, filled with laughter and teasing, both of them enjoying the time together without the children since there were few of them in their day to day life.

They returned to their empty house around one in the morning, Seth keeping them up for another six hours without a complaint from Rose. They had finally collapsed around seven in the morning, both of them sated and deeply satisfied as they drifted off to sleep in each others' arms.

It was for that reason Seth was somewhat confused over the extremely erotic dream unfolding -extremely erotic because, not only was it happening to him but he was also standing unnoticed as he observed what was happening to him.

He watched as Rose slid her hands down his chest, a shiver running down his back at the sensation of her nails lightly dragging down the muscles of his stomach, her long hair spilling like silk over his chest as she drew invisible designs on his hot skin with the tip of her tongue.

He could feel his heart beating fast, the fire in his veins growing hotter with each touch and watching it all happening had his body so tight it was painful.

She dipped her tongue into his belly button, her hands moving down to stroke the muscles of his thighs and suddenly, he knew what she was planning on doing, the groan he let out waking him up to find out his dream wasn't really a dream.

The feel of her tongue moving over the blunt head of his cock had him letting out another groan as he slid his fingers into her hair, rubbing his thumb against her jaw as she worked on swallowing him whole.

He screwed his eyes shut, hips lifting without permission as she sucked him, letting out a hum that vibrated him to the very core, his hand fisting in her hair as she worked him over. He was about ready to lose it but this wasn't how he wanted to come -he needed to be deep inside her where he belonged so he gently tugged her head back, almost giving in to the begging look she gave him as her whispered words brushed against the wet skin of his need for her, "Please let me finish."

"I want to finish inside you," Seth growled as he moved to roll her onto her back but her small hands on his chest stopped him, his heart lurching hard against his ribs as she gave him a smile full of promise, "Fine but I call the shots."

"You always do, baby," Seth fell back onto the mattress as she moved to straddle him, his dick finding its way into her wet pussy without any guidance.

The tight, wet heat of her core sucked him in deep, his stomach quivering as she tilted her pelvis, her fingers digging into his chest for purchase. He slid his hands up her sides, easily covering her generous breasts which he now believed were especially made for his big hands.

Pulling and twisting at her sensitive nipples, he watched with hooded eyes as she threw her head back, a moan escaping her as she rode him, her hips moving in a rhythm meant to draw out the pleasure awaiting them.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he muttered, his voice ragged as he lifted his hips off the bed to push himself deep into her as she came down on him, her dark hair spilling down her sweat-slicked back, "I want you to come around me, baby."

Rose shook her head, her breathing fast and choppy as she grinded into him before lifting up then bringing herself back down, "Not yet...I need...Oh _dios! N__ecesito mas._"

Gripping her small waist in his hands, he tilted her forward before burying both hands in her hair and pulling her down, his teeth biting down on her bottom lip before he pushed his tongue into her waiting mouth, her arms wrapping around his head as the new position forced her to move with slower yet deeper strokes.

"Fuck, Rosie," he growled, pulling her head back as he moved his mouth down her throat, sucking hard at the sweet tasting skin stretched over her collarbone as he planted his other hand on her ass, grinding her pelvis against his, "You're so fucking hot and tight..."

Rose moaned, her elbows digging into his shoulders, the new position giving her new leverage to undulate against him, both of them now straining to reach nirvana together.

Digging his fingers into her thighs, he spread them wider before grabbing on to her hips, her inner muscles clamping hard against him as she tumbled over the edge, dragging his own release along with hers as he exploded deep inside her with a shout of exultation.

Struggling to catch his breath, he kept his arms wrapped tight around her, their sweat slicked skin slowly cooling as they laid in the middle of their king size bed, the intoxicating scent of cherry blossoms and sea salt heavy in the air.

"Wow," the word came out as an exhale as Seth was finally able to hear something other than the rushing blood forced from his fast beating heart, "That's one hell of a way to wake me up, babe."

Her tired giggle was soft against his skin, long hair draped over his arm and shoulder, "Happy morning after your birthday."

Seth chuckled, turning his head to press a kiss against her forehead, gently stroking her hair away from her face, "I'd sell my soul for every morning to be after my birthday."

Her laughter made his heart skip, the fell of her so close to him they almost defied the laws of physics giving him an inner peace because he knew she was happy -truly happy.

Shifting her head from his chest to his shoulder to make it easier to look into his eyes, she touched her fingertips to his bottom lip as she whispered, "We don't have many mornings alone so I thought I'd take advantage of it."

"You mean take advantage of me," Seth teased, his laughter deep as her face flushed a rosy hue, "You sure did me in, baby."

Rose's hazel eyes brightened with a teasing glint, "Really? There's nothing else left, not even a teeny, tiny bit?"

His chest vibrated with laughter as he rolled her onto her back, covering her petite body with his much larger one.

"Maybe I can find a bit more somewhere...that is, if you're interested."

"Oh, yes."

* * *

_November 12__th_

The whole thing had happened so fast, they barely had enough time to make it to the hospital, the on-call doctor showing up just in time to catch the newest Laskaris member as he made his debut into this crazy world they all called home.

The transition into a private post-partum room had gone smoothly, Leah falling asleep soon after showering and feeding their newborn. Rick, on the other hand, was walking the room, his attention completely riveted on the six pound baby bundled in a blue quilt of soft cotton he cradled in his arms.

He was in awe of every tiny feature in his son's face, from the barely there eyebrows to the bright blue of his eyes but what had him almost giddy was the soft blond hair covering his tiny head. It seemed, with this one, his genes had won out completely. Leah herself had mentioned the possibility of their baby being his own little clone, so to speak but he supposed only time would tell.

Looking over at the clock, he recalled Sue having mentioned coming after lunch time to bring in the kids so they could all meet their new baby brother. Due to being seven of them, Rick had made sure to speak to the nurse in charge to get permission to bring them all in and she had been kind enough -although surprised at the number -to acquiesce.

He stopped at the foot of the bed, watching his wife sleep for a few minutes before a soft gurgle got his attention again, eyes dropping to the tiny face of his son, who was wide awake and quietly sucking on a tiny fist, "Hey _kyrio_. I'm your Daddy, but you know that, right?"

The newborn stopped sucking for a few seconds, blinking his blue eyes a couple of times, his small body jolting lightly at the sound of a knock at the room's door.

Rick chuckled quietly as Sue's voice admonished from the other side of the door, "You need to be quiet, okay? Your mama might be sleeping."

He moved to sit on the rocking chair supplied as part of the room's furniture, grinning as the door slowly swung open, the kids coming in, making noise in their attempt to be quiet.

"Daddy," Tyra ran over to him, her brothers and sisters right behind her. Sue the last to approach, Xavier asleep in her arms, "Is it the baby?"

"Sure is, _moro_," Rick leaned forward to rest his forearms on his thighs, the baby in his arms as his kids crowded around him, Tyra sounding somewhat disappointed when she saw his eyes, "Their blue too."

"Yes," Rick smiled at her, long fingers gently removing the little knit cap on his head, "But his hair is just like yours."

Tyra gasped, her fingers carefully touching his head as Alyx and Andrey -who were leaning against his thigh by the baby's feet -touched the little toes exposed by the open blanket, "His toes are tiny."

"What's his name," Emmie asked as she watched her new baby brother kick his legs, the twins giggling as they kept catching and tugging at his toes.

"Your mom hasn't said yet," Rick smiled as he looked from Emmie to Zak, studying his serious face as he studied the baby over Tyra's head, "What do you think, Zak?"

Blue eyes looked up to meet his, mouth tilting into a slight smile, "He's gonna look like you."

He chuckled, watching as Gabriel reached out to touch a finger to a tiny hand, little fingers wrapping around it, "More than likely."

The baby let out a cry as he tucked his legs into his tummy, his twin brothers having changed tactics, their fingers tickling the soft soles of his feet.

"Andrey, Alyx," Rick gave them _the look_ they knew very well meant business, "Babies don't like having their feet tickled."

"Mama says we did," Andrey tilted his head to the side, his little face adorably quizzical, "All the time."

"She tickled us and we laughed," Alyx lifted his shoulders as he pulled at his ear, bumping into Andrey as he tried to stand on one foot.

"Yeah, well, you two are unique," Rick teased, catching movement from the bed out of the corner of his eye -looked like his beautiful wife was waking up.

"What that mean," Alyx asked as he gave a little hop, bumping against Rick's knee and jostling the baby, who apparently didn't take too kindly to being moved about in such a way.

Xavier woke with a start at the sound of screaming, blue eyes blinking as he looked around, his face lighting up as Leah pushed herself into a sitting position, "Mama!"

"Hi baby," she smiled as he stretched out his arms for her, giving her mother a reassuring nod she was okay with taking him as Rick worked at calming down their baby, "Did you miss me?"

Xavier nodded, snuggling into her side as Tyra made shushing noises to her baby brother, Gabriel moving to the side of the bed, climbing up to sit on the side at Leah's invitation, "Dad doesn't know the baby's name."

Leah chuckled as she pulled him into her side, pressing a kiss on his forehead, long fingers ruffling his hair, "I haven't told him, that's why."

"Did you name all of us, mama," Zak's quiet voice had all their attention as he sat by Leah's feet, Tyra skipping over for help to join him, his arms loose around her to keep her from falling.

"I did, yes," Leah smiled as Emmie climbed up on the other side of the end of the bed, the twins crowding in beside her hip as Xavier moved higher up the bed to rest his head on her shoulder, "Normally, I talk to your dad about ideas for names but this time, I thought to keep it a secret."

"It's not gonna be another weird name, is it," Gabe teased, laughing when Emmie gave his arm a pinch, "Oh, come on, Emmie. I'm the only one with a normal name...although Alyx and Andrey is a close second but you, Zak, Ty and Avy...strange."

"What's so strange about Zakery," Zak asked his older brother with a quirk of his eyebrow, "There's a kid in my class with the same name."

"It's the spelling, dude," Gabe gave his brother his 'duh' look, "No one spells it z-a-k-e-r-y."

"I have a reason for giving each and every one of you your names," Leah spoke up, diverting what could have been an argument, although Zak never argued -even when Alyx and Andrey had colored his aquarium's water purple with food coloring, thus killing two of his prized fish, "For example, Zakery. Your name is a variation of your dad's youngest brother's name, Zarek, and your middle name is after my dad. You, Emmie, are named after his mom, Erato, and his sister, Amery, not to mention his brothers Erasmus and Evan."

"Why is my middle name Rachel?"

Sue watched as Rick and Leah shared a secret smile before she answered, "Your Aunt Rachel did a big favor for your father and he thought it would be the best way to say thank you."

"What about us, mama," Alyx scrambled onto his knees, almost knocking Andrey off the bed, "Why is our names Andrey and Alyx and Niko and Milo?"

Leah laughed as she reached out to gently tug him to sit on his bottom, moving slightly to the side for Andrey to find a secure spot, "I named you two after his brother Andreus –Andrey, your middle name Niko is for your Daddy's first little boy and Alyx, your Daddy's father was named Milo."

"And me, mama?"

Leah smiled at her sweet little girl, leaning forward to gently stroke her blond fringe from her eyes, "You are named after your uncles Tymek, Tymon and Tyron."

Brown-green eyes widened as she wiggled out of Zak's hold to kneel by her mother's stretched out legs, "All three of them?"

Sue could see the surprise on her son-in-law's face, feeling surprise herself he hadn't known Leah's reasoning behind her children's unique names.

"Yes –all three of them. Your middle name is for his brother Kristos and Xavier is for his brother Xerxes."

"What about me, mama," the hurt look in Gabriel's blue eyes stabbed straight into Leah's heart, "Why am I not named after dad's brothers?"

"I didn't know their names when you were born," Leah reached up to run her fingers through his hair, "So I named you after two angels. Gabriel: the angel of mercy and bringer of good news. Michael: the angel of justice and fighter of truth."

She pulled his head down until their foreheads touched, whispering softly enough for only him to hear as she looked into his blue eyes, "You saved me, Gabriel...your name reminds me every time I hear it."

Sue swallowed back a sob, looking over her shoulder at the soft knock on the door, everyone laughing at Rose's uncharacteristic squeal as she walked in, Seth behind her holding a large bouquet of tiger lilies and white daisies along with dozens of helium balloons.

"No one move," Rose held out her hands, quickly pulling her bag off and taking out her digital camera, "This is perfect!"

They laughed as Sue moved out of the family picture shot, blinking back tears as she watched her daughter amidst her children, Rick standing behind Emmie with their newborn baby cradled in his arms.

"Wait," Emmie held out her hands as her aunt kept snapping pictures, turning to look at her mama, "We don't know the baby's name yet."

More laughter, Leah giving Rick a smile full of joyful peace as he gently settled their new baby in her arms, Xavier sucking his thumb as he leaned down to look into the big blue eyes looking up at his mama, his own arm still wrapped around her neck.

"Everyone," Leah let out a sigh of contentment, the feel of Rick's fingers under her hair stroking her neck relaxing her in a way she didn't know she needed, "This is your little brother, your grandson, your nephew…" she looked up into Rick's eyes and Sue was able to see how the world shrunk around them, leaving everyone else outside its boundaries…it was like looking in through a window, "Your son –Erick Micah Laskaris."

* * *

_Thanksgiving Day_

They were at the Clearwater's, being their place was the biggest of the three choices and even then, Seth had to move the armchairs, long couch, coffee table, and side tables into his study to make room for the rental tables and twenty-five chairs.

The smells coming from the kitchen where Leah, Sue, Meg (Embry's mother) and Jiao –she had showed up early to help with the preparations –was permeating the entire house, causing Seth's stomach to grumble and his mouth to water. Outside, the sounds of squeals and screams were accompanied by laughter as Rick and Embry worked together to entertain the older kids with a game of touch football.

Inside, the younger ones –mainly Tyra, Xavier and Carlos –entertained themselves with puzzles and coloring books. Rose herself was on baby rocking duty and that's how Seth found her as he walked in through the front door, a bag of last minute needed groceries in one arm, a bouquet of wild flowers in his other hand.

Closing the door with his foot, he smiled at the sight of his wife as she bounced his two week old nephew, her husky voice low as she talked to the blue eyed baby, his tiny fingers wrapped around one of hers.

"Collin called," Seth walked through the living room, stopping to easily lift up his two year old son as the little boy ran down the hallway to wrap his arms around his legs, "Hey little man. You having fun with your cousins?"

Carlos nodded, hazel eyes bright as he hugged his father's neck before turning to look at his mother, pointing a tiny finger, "Baby?"

"Yep, that's your baby cousin Erick," Seth buzzed his soft check, grinning at the peals of laughter as his little boy tucked his chin in, "Where are your other cousins?"

Carlos twisted to point down the hallway before turning to point at Erick again, "Baby play?"

"Ah, buddy, your cousin can't play yet," Seth walked into the kitchen, placing the paper bag in a counter, giving the wild flowers to his mother, "Thought they'd look good as table decorations."

Sue chuckled as she took them from him, dropping a kiss on her grandson's small nose, "Your daddy's silly, isn't he?"

Carlos giggled as he agreed with his whole body, belly laughs escaping him as Seth tickled him, "What do you mean I'm silly, uh?"

"No," Carlos squealed, laughing and wiggling to be put down. As soon as Seth set him on the floor, he took off running down the hallway, "No tickles!"

Chuckling, Seth hung his car keys on the key rings they kept on the wall above the phone, "Need any help, ma?"

"No," Sue shook her head as she moved around her daughter, the four women having found a rhythm, none of them getting in each others' way, "We're fine. Have you heard from Lian?"

"Yeah, Collin called. Their plane just landed thirty minutes ago. They should all be here in an hour or so."

"Just in time," Leah grinned over her shoulder at her little brother, finishing the batch of garlic mashed potatoes she had been working on, "The turkey has another hour to go."

"So I have to be tortured with these delicious Thanksgiving smells and Lian just gets to walk in and eat?"

Leah laughed as she covered the mash potatoes, moving them aside as Meg pulled out a batch of biscuits from the baking oven, "Pretty much."

"I always knew he was your favorite."

Her carefree laughter made him grin as he continued to tease her, "You were never any good at hiding it. I'm gonna go into the living room with my wife where I'm appreciated."

Leah grinned as he turned to walk away, knowing he would hear her as she muttered under her breath, "Don't be too sure about that."

Shaking his head, he looked around the living room, finally catching sight of Rose sitting on the loveseat he had moved up against the wall beside the fireplace. He could tell Erick was asleep –Rose wasn't rocking him anymore which was only necessary to get him to fall asleep –in her arms as she gently traced his tiny features with a single finger, the look on her face as she watched him sleep oddly familiar.

"Oh no," Seth muttered as he moved around the long table, carefully sitting beside her as she looked up at him, her beautiful hazel eyes bright, "I know that look on your face, Rose."

"What look?"

"You want another baby."

He watched her full lips spread into a beautiful smile as she looked down at her nephew, tracing his nose, "He's so beautiful…and tiny."

The sound of shrieking was all the warning they got before Xavier and Carlos came running down the hallway with Tyra chasing behind them, "Yeah, but in a year or two they turn into that."

Rose giggled as she watched her son and his cousins running around the long table, Carlos crawling under to keep away from Tyra as Xavier –giggling the entire time –toddled off into the kitchen, "Mama! Mama!"

"It may be," Rose looked over at Seth, her bottom lip poking out in a pout, "But it takes an entire year for them to get there."

Seth let out a chuckle as he moved into her space, placing his arm around her shoulders as he looked down at his nephew's sleeping face, his large hand covering the tiny blond haired head, "He is cute."

Rose nodded, moving her head to place a soft kiss on his jaw, her whispered words in his ear causing a shiver to skate down his spine, "Remember how much fun it was to make one?"

"Remember how much fun it was to push it out," Seth teased her, running his fingers through her hair as he tilted his head back to kiss the soft spot behind her ear, his hot breath causing her skin to flush, "If I recall, you told me you'd kill me if I ever got you pregnant again."

Rose giggled, tilting her head to the side to give him easier access as he placed tiny biting kisses down her neck, "Well, I retract my threat."

"You do, uh," Seth's tongue darted out to get a taste of her sweet smelling kiss, dropping his hand from his nephew's head to land on her thigh, his thumb rubbing slow circles against the silk fabric of her skirt, "Well, in that case…I suppose I'm amenable to the idea."

Rose bit her bottom lip, turning her head to look into his brown-green eyes, "So that means you're persuadable?"

Seth hummed in agreement, lightly rubbing his mouth over hers as he slid his hand under her skirt, the soft velvet of her skin against his calloused fingertips making both of them shiver, "Definitely persuadable…in a year or two."

"What," Rose's eyes widened in surprise as she pulled away from him, "Why so long?"

"It'll be easier to handle a baby if Carlos is a little older," Seth bit back laughter at the look on his wife's face –she looked downright devastated, "Don't you think?"

Looking down at her nephew as he let out a soft mewl, she gently bounced him until he settled back down, "Is the timeline negotiable?"

"Mhm," Seth tucked his hand between her knees, his thumb tracking distracting circles against the inside of her thigh, "Well that depends."

Rose looked into his eyes, flushing at the heat she saw in them as he slowly –very slowly –tucked her hair behind her ear, stroking it down her back, "On what?"

Seth gave her his famous panty-dropping smile as he cupped the back of her head to pull her closer, "On what you're negotiating with."

He swallowed her giggle, his mouth moving over hers in a slow quest to conquer, his tongue teasing the corners of her mouth until she opened for him. He kept the kiss slow and sweet, his tongue moving over hers, the taste of her causing a series of fires to ignite deep inside him. Pulling her in closer, he squeezed her thigh as the kiss deepened, both of them lost to everything but each other.

"Seriously? You're feeling up your wife while she's holding my baby?"

They broke apart, Rose's face flushing a bright pink as Leah stood a couple of feet away, hands on her fists, toe tapping the floor, eyes twinkling despite the scowl on her face.

"What," Seth shrugged, fighting back the smile threatening to emerge, knowing his Rose wouldn't appreciate him seeing the humor in the whole thing, "It's his fault."

"Oh, my baby's to blame for this now?"

"Well, yeah," Seth leaned back into the couch with a shrug, "He gave Rose baby fever."

Leah's head fell back as she laughed, little Erick stirring awake in Rose's arms, blinking big blue eyes before he let out a high pitched cry.

"That's him complaining of your lies," Leah moved to take him from her sister-in-law, her brown-green eyes dancing as she teased them, "He doesn't appreciate you using him as an excuse to get frisky."

Rose's blush turned from pink to an alarming red, the back of her hand colliding with Seth's chest at his next words, "I never need an excuse to get frisky."

"Seth!"

Seth and Leah laughed, Rose biting her bottom lip as he pulled her into his side, "Sorry, baby, but it's true. Hell, even you –"

"Not funny," she interrupted what was sure to be an embarrassing revelation of her initiating sex with her husband, "Keep talking and you're not getting any."

Seth shut his mouth with a snap, eyes wide as he looked over at his sister, chuckling as she sadly shook her head at him, "She's got you whipped, Seth."

Seth shrugged, rubbing his hand up and down his wife's arm but not saying anything as Leah laughed, moving down the hall towards the study as Erick's cries intensified in volume.

"I don't appreciate you making jokes about our sex life," Rose whispered fiercely at him, trying to hold herself rigid as he closed his arms around him but it wasn't easy to dissuade herself from melting into him.

"I was just teasing, baby," Seth nuzzled her neck, squeezing her hip as he rubbed her arm with his other hand, "Come on –she's my sister. If I recall, she was the one to help you out in understanding sex."

Rose wrinkled her nose, finally letting herself relax into him as she crossed her legs, placing a small hand on his thigh as she tilted her head back to look into his eyes, "Actually, your mother helped me out with that. Your sister confused me with her birds and the bees talk."

Seth almost choked, his forehead resting against hers as his entire body shook with laughter, "She…she tried…she tried giving –oh my god!"

Rose giggled as she snuggled into him, her fingers playing with the inseam of his dark jeans, "She made no sense, talking about birds and bees pollinating and how women were flowers and fields."

Seth was having a hard time breathing, he was laughing so hard. Burying his face into her neck, he worked at controlling his mirth as he tightened his arms around her.

Resting her head against his, she smiled as she breathed him in, loving the way his very scent had her humming, body and soul, "I didn't find it that funny, Seth."

Taking a deep breath, Seth finally found a modicum of calm within him to stop laughing as he pulled back to look into her eyes, "Of course you didn't, baby. That talk is meant for boys. It's supposed to help them understand the consequences of sex."

"Oh," Rose blinked, Seth smiling at the adorably innocent look on her face, "Is there a talk for girls?"

"Yeah," Seth thumbed her bottom lip, their nose touching as he moved in to kiss her, "The one my mother gave you."

Their smiles melted into a kiss, his finger caressing her face before slipping into her hair. Pulling back enough for them to breathe, he gave her a teasing smile, "You know, later tonight…we can introduce my bee to your flower."

Rose stared at him for a few seconds, her eyes widening as she realized what he meant, his mouth closing over hers and swallowing her words, his arm around her waist practically pulling her into his lap.

"So that's what Paul meant about you two being a porn video in the making."

"Julian!"

Seth and Rose broke apart, the front door closing as the last guests to their Thanksgiving dinner walked into their living room, Lian rubbing his arm where his wife had hit him.

"About time you got here," Seth decided it would be in his best interests if he didn't respond to his cousin's teasing words, giving his wife's bottom a slight smack as she stood up, "Dinner should be ready soon."

Lian grinned at the flushed look on Rose's face, Julie's warning glare letting him know he was going to suffer if he continued teasing them about their make-out show, "Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let's eat!"


	56. Chapter 54 Part 1

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Okay, everyone. For reasons unknown, I've decided to split this chapter in two...mostly so it won't be insanely long and for another reason that I'm not yet quite sure of.**

**Now, kids that appear in this chapter are as follows: Vivi, 12yrs/8thgrd: Nika, 12yrs/8thgrd: Bailey, 14yrs/9thgrd: Carlos, 2yrs: Marc, 14yrs.9thgrd and as always, Gabriel's age is next to the chapter and he is currently in 8thgrd.**

**oh, right...all the ballet terminology I looked up on wikipedia so if I have anything wrong, my apologies. I love ballet but I didn't get the chance to study it deeply growing up, being I preferred to dance everything and not just one kind.**

**Chapter Fifty-Four **_(12 yrs old)_**  
Part A**

_December 4__th_

Lifting her leg up unto the portable _barre_ she had bought last year with her birthday and chore money, she made sure her right foot stayed in fifth position, toes of her left foot pointed as she stretched her arms over her head before twisting her waist to the left then lowering her torso parallel to her stretched leg.

The soft guitar music coming from the docking station of her pink iPod increase in tempo but she didn't let herself move with it, keeping her movements smooth and slow, her muscles warming up in the way she knew meant she was ready to dance.

Checking her posture in the wall to wall, ceiling to floor mirrors, she slowly straightened up, bringing her leg down and moving her arms into second position before she shook herself, moving over to the docking station to pick up the iPod and flip through the playlists, choosing Tchaikovsky's _The Nutcracker _before setting it back in place as the first number started to play.

Moving to the middle of the room, she glanced at the clock over the door. Nika still had thirteen minutes to show up so they could work on their duet so while she waited, she was going to practice for her part as Clara.

Miss Trinity had held auditions during the summer for the _Trinity School of Dance_ performance of _The Nutcracker_. It had been an intense two weeks being every girl in her en pointe class wanted the main role of Clara but in the end, Miss Trinity had chosen Vivi for the much coveted role. Vivi understood the other girls' envy –well, Nika had no envy being she was given the second most coveted role of the Sugar Plum Fairy –due to the amazing news of not only performing with all the students at Trinity's –beginners, intermediate and advance –but also the Pacific Northwest Ballet Company. The performance was going to be in McCaw Hall at the Seattle Center and the proceeds were going to benefit the school.

As the second number began to play, Vivi rose to her toes, moving gracefully from step to step, occasionally stopping when she reached a part that included her dance partner.

It didn't take long for her to get lost in the music, to stop thinking and simply move, arms and legs gracefully shifting from one position to the next, holding herself with the elegant tension required of all committed ballerinas. Ending with the music, she relaxed as the sound of clapping from the door had her turning, her already flushed face beaming as her best friend dropped her gym bag next to hers.

"That was beautiful, Vivi," Nika toed off her sneakers, taking out her pointe shoes and gray leg warmers, "You definitely have what it takes to be a prima ballerina."

Vivi chuckled, feeling self-conscious as she shook out her legs, "I don't know about that. Miss Trinity says I'm still too stiff."

"I didn't see any stiffness."

"Well, that's because I was dancing alone."

"Ah," Nika finished lacing the ribbons of her shoes, pulling on the leg warmers to her knees before standing up and removing her oversized sweater, stuffing it into her bag as she pulled out her black wrap around skirt, "She has a point, you know. You want to be a prima, you need to be able to dance with a partner."

"I know," Vivi pushed up on her toes, fluidly moving into an _arabesque_ as Nika replaced the iPod on the docking station with her own, "It's just…I'm not used to being touched…that way."

"What do you mean?"

Vivi moved into several _petite allegros_ as Nika made use of the portable _barre_, the music coming from the speakers upbeat and fast, "Well…he touches my leg."

"He has too, Vivi," Nika bend her stretched out leg, arms a perfect oval over her head, "Roger has been dancing _pas de deux_ since he was thirteen but even so, if you don't learn to trust him, he might drop you."

"That doesn't worry me," Vivi dropped into first position, biting her bottom lip, "It's the touching that makes me nervous."

"Hasn't Gabriel –"

"No," Vivi shook her head, watching as Nika moved away from the_ barre_ and proceeded to perform a _battery_ –whole family of techniques and steps involving turns and jumps, "He's a perfect gentleman. He holds my hand and sometimes…"

Nika stopped, holding an _ecarte_ as she caught her breath, brown eyes on Vivi, "Sometimes what?"

Vivi blushed as she began to move again, slow enough to be able to talk, "When he looks into my eyes, he'll touch my face with his fingers."

Nika grinned at the dreamy look on her best friend's face, "You really have it bad for him, uh?"

No words were necessary, Vivi's shy smile saying it all as Nika moved to the docking station, picking up her green iPod to flip through the playlists, "Well, I think Roger is very cute."

"He is," Vivi agreed with a shrug as she sunk into a _fondu_, "He's also sixteen."

"And he likes you."

Vivi popped up in surprise, giving Nika a look of bemusement, "I'm twelve years old."

"He does not know that," Nika smiled as she moved to stand next to her, both facing the mirrors, "You look like fourteen going on fifteen."

"But I'm not," Vivi kept her arms held before her, Nika doing the same as they both sank into a _grand plie_, moving with exact synchronization, "He thinks I'm just a kid."

Nika gave her friend a teasing wink, "Well, not unless you tell him you're twelve."

Two hours later, they were both breathing hard, their leotards plastered to their bodies as they wiped their faces, Vivi finishing the last bottle of water she had packed in her gym bag.

"So what do you think," Nika removed her slippers, leaving the leg warmers on to prevent her warm muscles from cramping once they stepped out into the cold.

"I definitely think it'll surprise the judges," Vivi easily folded the barre and slid it into its bag, pulling it shut by the draw string before slinging it over her shoulder along with her pink gym bag, fur lined boots already on her feet, "Even I couldn't have choreographed to a Maroon 5 song."

"It's why we'll win the finals," Nika's confidence was contagious as they walked out of the room they reserved three times a week for two hours at the La Push Community Center. The larger rooms –like the one used for Tia Rosa and Tio Seth's wedding –required deposits but the one they used only needed advanced reservation with the center's receptionist, Mikki.

"Hey look," Vivi pointed at the free standing sign beside the receptionist's empty desk, "I didn't know Quileute High School had a cheerleading squad."

Nika looked at the sign announcing try-outs in Conference Room 'C': "The don't. Try-outs are for next year –not only will we have a new squad but there's also going to be a new football team –all thanks to the new stadium that's being built starting the new year."

"Wow," Vivi reached down to rub her calve as the faint sounds of chanting and cheering made its way down the hall to the foyer, "Is the student population growing?"

"I heard mama and Daddy talking," Nika tugged at Vivi's arm as she made her way down the hall, curious to see which of her school mates was trying out for the squad, "Apparently, next year will be the biggest student body the high school has ever had. Thanks to your aunt, the council is putting money into the high school, hoping it would increase the chances of a higher graduating percentage, not to mention college acceptance what with the Harry Clearwater Scholarship making it financially possible to afford higher education."

"Okay, hold on," Vivi stopped outside the double doors to the conference room, one of them propped open, "What does my aunt have to do with the council putting money into the school?"

Nika's brown eyes widened in shock, "You don't know?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I did."

"Well," Nika wondered what to say but since it wasn't a secret, she supposed there was nothing to hide, "The last exhibit your aunt put on –"

"_Passing the Rites,_" Vivi interrupted as she shifted the strap of her barre bag, "Minerva said it got the highest revenue since the _Imprint_ exhibit."

"Well, since it focused on our customs and stuff, your aunt signed over seventy-five percent of the sales to the reservation."

Vivi's gold-brown eyes widened in surprise, "Seventy-five percent?"

"That's what I heard."

"Wow."

"Yeah," Nika grinned as she dropped her gym bag at her feet, "Thanks to her, we're getting a computer lab as well as the stadium and a field house."

"I bet Brad's excited about the lab."

Nika nodded, moving to the open door at the sound of a familiar voice, "That I know of. Now it's a matter of finding more teachers and coa –oh. My. God."

"What," Vivi moved around her to look into the brightly lit room, "Is that…no way."

"Uh-uh," Nika couldn't close her mouth, eyes wide as they watched the five foot six inch girl in the middle of the room, dark brown hair in a high ponytail and a big smile on her face as she called out a cheer, accompanied by sharp peppy motions, "I'm almost positive it's her…the smile makes me doubt, though."

They giggled, watching as she jumped and twirled, did back flips, front flips and high kicks on command, ending the whole thing with a Chinese split, the applause from the other girls –about twenty or so –almost deafening.

"I had no idea she could do that," Vivi's voice was soft with awe, sudden realization hitting her between the eyes, "She'll kill us if she sees us here."

"Too late," Nika pushed Vivi back, spinning around to grab her gym bag, both of them running towards the foyer but they didn't make it out in time.

"What the fuck are you two doing here?"

They froze a couple of feet from the glass front doors, seconds ticking by before they slowly turned with bright smiles on their faces.

"We were practicing," Nika pointed to the opposite always where the smaller rooms branched off, "We have finals in February so we were working on our new routine. It's actually pretty awesome considering most people wouldn't pair up ballet with Maroon 5 –"

Bailey interrupted Nika's babbling as she drew a circle in the air with her hand, "Where in all that shit is it required for you to spy on me?"

"We weren't spying on you," Vivi protested, shifting under the weight of Bailey's glare, "Well, not exactly."

Bailey arched an eyebrow at them, arms crossed over her chest, "Not exactly?"

"I just wanted to see if any of my friends were trying out," Nika lifted a shoulder in a shrug, shifting her weight as Vivi nodded in agreement.

Bailey's scowl didn't lessen as they stood in awkward silence, Vivi finally breaking it with an obvious yet very important question, "You know you'll have to wear a skirt, right?"

Bailey didn't say anything, Nika deciding to contribute to the conversation, "A really short one."

"What?"

"The skirts," Vivi scratched the back of her knee with the toe of her boot, "They are really short."

"They barely cover your butt," Nika couldn't hold back the incredulity at their discovery any longer, "and you have to flip and kick and everyone will be able to see –"

"I know," Bailey interrupted her, eyes rolling as she dropped her arms to her sides, "I'm not thrilled about the uniform but I just…I thought I'd give it a try."

Vivi and Nika looked at each other in shock before they simultaneously asked two questions.

"Why?"

"Did someone dare you?"

Bailey let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders relaxing a bit, "No, I just…I'm just tired of Gabe, Marc and Brad treating me like a guy all the time."

The surprise was identical on both their faces, Vivi finally speaking up, "That's because you get upset whenever they point out you're a girl."

Bailey rolled her eyes, "Because when they say it, it's meant as an insult."

"Being a girl is not insulting."

Vivi crossed her arms over her chest, her pink sweater keeping her upper body warm although her legs were another matter, "Neither is liking the color pink."

"That's not insulting –it's stereotypical."

Ready with a retort, Vivi got interrupted as a girl a few inches shorter than the three girls joined them in the foyer, "Bailey, the schedule's being passed out and coach wants you in there."

Bailey looked at her in surprise, "I made it?"

She nodded, her ponytail bobbing, "Yep, only like five of them didn't."

"Who?"

She giggled as she rocked up on her toes, "Susan Hopson and her friends."

Bailey laughed, Nika snickering as well, the sound of their names being yelled down the hall having Baile and her friend bead back to the conference room but not before Bailey threatened Nika and Vivi.

"Tell anyone about this and I'll kill you."

The silence she left behind was slightly heavy, the girls turning to leave the center, Vivi nibbling on her bottom lip as she looked sideways at Nika:

"How exactly is she keeping this a secret?"

* * *

_December 6__th_

Billy Black was used to living alone and despite his daughter's constant nagging, he had no desire to change his current situation.

Be that as it may, he didn't mind having company over, especially of the kid variety which was why his house was currently daycare center.

Rolling into the living room, he smiled at the sight of Emmie and Tyra kneeling before the coffee table, the former helping the latter with her math homework, which consisted of simple addition and subtraction.

School still had another week to go so Billy had reign over the Laskaris brood –the school aged ones –twice a week for four hours, the whole purpose to teach them of their Quileute heritage. This included language as well as customs, history and other important factors they would have been learning were they not attending the white man's schools.

Billy admired Leah's determination to give her children the best of both worlds which was why he agreed to tutor her kids some years back when there were three of them. Now, however, he was contemplating seeking help from Dee Hoopsun for assistance with the teaching…not only was she fluent but she was already a teacher who loved children –it didn't hurt she was pretty to look at and a widow to boot.

The relative quietness of the room had him a bit worried as he looked around the living room for the twins –not just Alyx and Andrey but his own granddaughters as well.

He knew where the rest of them were –William was napping in his room while Gabriel and Zak were in what had once been the girls' bedroom and was now his workshop, both boys working on their carving skills. Emmie and Tyra accounted for, he caught sight of Marilynn lying on her stomach behind the armchair, quietly flipping through her favorite picture book.

Moving around to look behind the long couch, he bit back a laugh. There was Skye with Andrey and Alyx, coloring books and markers spread around them. Unfortunately for their parents, all there were using each other as canvases, sitting in a triangle and drawing on their arms, legs and clothes.

"Okay, you three," Billy smirked as the boys gave a slight jump, both of them giving him guilty looks while Skye, on the other hand, jumped up and ran to him, climbing up unto his lap as she showed him her arms.

"Look, pappy," she gave him a bright smile, "I be pretty!"

"You're already pretty, Skye."

"But I have color," Skye pointed at places in her arms and legs, "See? This is blue bird and here's yellow sun –"

"Can you remember grandpa's word for sun," Billy asked, seamlessly starting their vocabulary lesson.

Skye shook her head, giving him the big puppy eyes that got her out of trouble with both him and Paul, "I forgotted."

"What about you two," Billy motioned Alyx and Andrey over to the couch, calling out for Gabe and Zak to join them, "Can you remember the Quileute word for sun?"

"It's _qahla,_" Tyra answered when they shook their heads, all four brothers sitting in the long couch, Andrey and Alyx giggling as Gabe snuck in a tickle.

Billy beamed at the little blond –out of all of Leah's kids, she seemed to be the most adept at mastering the nearly extinct language, "That is correct! How about the word for water?"

"_Kwaiya_," Zak answered in his quiet voice, smiling as Marilynn climbed up into his lap. For some reason, the quiet little girl was drawn to him, probably because neither felt the need to fill the silence with unnecessary chatter.

"Right," Billy nodded with a pleased smile, looking over at Gabe, "Now, how about the word for moon? Gabriel?"

Gabe gave Billy a guilty glance, having been tickling Alyx and Andrey, the two little terrors sitting on either side of him, and not paying attention, "Uhm…_petetchu_?"

"No," Tyra shook her head, pigtails dancing with the motion, "Its _pititchu_."

"Good job, Ty," Billy reached into his breast pocket, pulling out a leather band with intricate designs imprinted into the dark color, "Now, I've got this special bracelet here, a gift from my great grandfather. There's a very important story behind it –would you like to hear it?"

This was where all of them were in agreement –they all loved story time with Billy.

* * *

_December 14__th__  
Port Angeles  
Trinity School of Dance_

"Bravo! Bravo!"

Trinity Paizza clapped as she moved to the front of her dance studio, dark eyes dancing as she smiled at her intermediate and advanced students, "Well done, all of you. Now remember, we still have five more rehearsals to go before the big show. Please, _please_ don't miss any of them."

"We won't," they all chimed, moving around to keep their warm bodies in motion, made necessary after three hours of dancing, jumping and stretching.

"Friday is the final costume fitting so please, make an effort to try out your costumes between now and then, just in case alterations are needed."

They all nodded, sinking into curtseys and bows in response to her own, all knowing they had been dismissed for the day.

Vivi gave Roger a shy smile along with a see you later, her partner smiling back as he pulled on sweats over the opaque tights he wore, "Sure."

Pulling on her own sweats and sweater, she met Nika at the door, both girls walking out of the studio into the cold Port Angeles air, immediately spotting Rose's car in the parking lot.

"I'm thinking we should totally vegg out tonight," Nika suggested as they stepped off the curb towards the dark gray car, "Watch a movie, stuff our faces with cookies and chips."

"Oh, I can totally do that," Vivi agreed with a smile as she hitched her gym bag higher up her shoulder, "My only costume is a nightgown so I don't really need any last minute fittings. You, on the other hand –"

"Hey, Vivi! Wait up!"

They stopped a couple of feet from their destination, turning as Roger ran across the parking lot towards them, the wet breeze ruffling his dark blond hair as he stopped to stand in front of the girls, "So, I was thinking…"

Nika gave Vivi a nudge in the arm, Rose's voice behind them having all three look towards the opened driver side window, "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Vivi nodded, working hard to keep from blushing but she couldn't help herself, "Tia, this is Roger. He's my dance partner for the Christmas performance."

Rose gave Roger a bright smile, "It's a pleasure, Roger. Vivi has spoken of what an amazing dancer you are."

Roger grinned, green eyes twinkling as he looked at a blushing Vivi, Nika's snickers soft yet audible, "Thank you. She's pretty amazing herself."

Vivi's pink blush deepened in color as she shifted her weight, holding on to her bag's strap with both hands, "You wanted to ask me something?"

"Yeah," Roger looked at Nika who had very obviously muffled a giggle before he turned his attention back to Vivi, "So, you know how you've been having a hard time with the lifts and stuff?"

"I'm really trying."

He rushed to assure her, the big gold-brown eyes staring up at him making him willing to do whatever it took to make them dance, "I know and you're getting better. I just thought…we could do a couple practices together, you know…without everyone watching."

"Is Miss Trinity okay with that?"

"Yeah," Roger nodded, lifting a hand in acknowledgement as a white SUV pulled up behind him, "She suggested the ice rink, said if you can trust me to lift you while on ice, you might be able to relax a bit more."

"The ice rink?"

"You know how to ice skate, right," Roger asked, silently pleading with his mother to keep his annoying little sister inside the car as Vivi gave a nod, "Well, how about tomorrow, then? Say…four?"

Vivi turned to look at her aunt, refusing to pay attention to the gleeful look on Nika's face, "Uhm, is that okay Tia?"

Rose bit her lip as she looked at Roger, "I can drop her off at the rink but what time will I need to pick her up?"

"Oh, I can drop her off," Roger lifted a shoulder in a shrug, the look on Rose's face having him rephrase quickly, "What I meant is my mom can pick us up from the rink and drop Vivi off at home, if that's okay with you?"

"Why don't you ask your mom first?"

Roger nodded, heading to the SUV as Nika leaned into Vivi with a giggle, "He totally likes you!"

Vivi flushed, looking over to make sure Roger hadn't heard her, "He does not."

"Then why would he ask you out?"

"He didn't."

"He totally did, Vivi –you are going on a date with Roger."

Vivi didn't think she could blush any brighter but was proven wrong when they heard a high pitched voice coming from the SUV, "Is that your girlfriend?"

Nika laughed, Vivi's humiliation making it impossible for her to see Roger's embarrassment as he returned, giving Rose a sheet of paper with information, "My mom says she can drop off Vivi. That's her cell phone number."

"Alright then," Rose opened her purse and pulled out her planner, tearing out a sheet from the back and jotting down information, "This is our address and my cell phone number. If you can please have her home by six thirty."

"Will do," Roger took the paper with a smile, looking over at Vivi, "See you tomorrow, then?"

"Sure," Vivi nodded with a shy smile, bumping against her best friend to keep her quiet.

"See you later, Nika."

"Sure," Nika bit her lip, both girls getting into the backseat of Rose's car as Roger climbed into the passenger seat of the SUV.

Rose looked into the rearview mirror, watching Nika and Vivi whispering in the backseat, unsure of what to do about the whole thing.

This was as new to her as it was to Vivi so she supposed if she had doubts about it, she could always talk to Seth and have him explain…with his experience concerning girls and the teenage years, he should be able to, right?

* * *

_Next Day  
5:23PM_

Rose looked up from the big piece puzzle she was helping Carlos, the knock at the front door having gotten her attention. Standing up from the floor, she laughed as Carlos toddled behind her, the two year old letting out a happy squeal when she opened the front door to reveal Gabriel standing on their front porch.

"Gabe!"

The twelve year old laughed as his little cousin slammed into his legs, easily picking him up to give him a squeeze, "Hey little dude! What ya doing?"

"'Uzzle," Carlos pointed at the pieces scattered in the living room floor, turning big hazel eyes on him, "Gabe play?"

"_Nene,_" Rose's voice had Carlos' attention as he turned to look at his mother, "I think Gabe came looking for Marc."

Carlos threw his arms open wide as he looked at his blue-eyed cousin, "Marc play ball!"

Gabriel chuckled as he lowered Carlos to the floor, looking over at his aunt, "Marc's not in?"

"He went to meet some of his teammates at the park," Rose smiled as her little boy threw himself onto the rug, happily chattering to himself as he moved puzzle pieces around, "He said they were going to hit a few."

Gabriel's laughter had Carlos look up from his puzzle, the little boy's face splitting into a big grin. It's something Rose had started to notice about her little boy –he seemed to derive happiness from other people's happiness.

"That's cool but I actually came to see if Vivi wanted to go for a walk down to First Beach," Gabe shrugged his shoulders as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his Redskins windbreaker, "I know it's a bit cold but the sky's really clear and I thought she would enjoy seeing the sunset –and the stars too. That is, when they start coming out."

Rose's eyes widened slightly as she wondered what exactly to tell him. Not only was she aware of how possessive Gabriel had gotten of Vivi over the years but knew he had a mean jealous streak in him as well.

"She, uhm," she decided to withhold pertinent information, certain Vivi was smart enough not to tell him and knowing Nika would never betray her best friend, "She went skating with a friend today. She should be back by dinner time."

Gabe looked at his aunt, realizing with a bit of surprise he was at eye level with her –then again, Aunt Rose was on the short side, "A friend?"

"Yes."

"I just saw Nika skateboarding outside the general store with Ian."

Rose felt somewhat offended on her niece's behalf, "Another friend –from dance class. She has more than one friend, Gabriel."

"Oh," Gabe felt slightly ashamed, not bothering to hide it which somewhat mollified Rose's temper, "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply she didn't."

"It's alright," Rose gave him a forgiving smile, "I see you've been working on your vocabulary."

"Kinda have to," Gabe chuckled as he toed the edge of the rug, "Can't understand three-fourths of what comes out of Emmie's mouth if I don't."

They laughed together, Carlos grinning up at them before dropping his puzzle piece and standing up, trotting over to his mother and lifting his arms over his head, "'_Rriba_, mama!"

Gabe's eyebrows lowered as Rose picked him up, "What did he say?"

"Up," Rose cuddled him close, Carlos content with nuzzling his face into her neck, "He's been using Spanish words here and there. _Arriba_ is one of his favorites, thanks to Marc."

"What did I do?"

Carlos squealed at the sight of his cousin walking into the living room from the kitchen. Marc laughed as he dropped his ball and glove into the armchair before taking him from his aunt, "_Arriba_ Carlos! _Arriba_!"

"S_í_," Carlos cheered, laughing as Marc tossed him up, easily catching him before swinging him around, "_Más_! _ Más_!"

Gabe laughed, not noticing Rose checking her watch with a worried look, "Uncle Seth used to do that to me. He says that's why I'm obsessed with flying."

"Yeah, that's why," Marc swung Carlos down between his legs before swinging him up again, "What ya doing here?"

Gabe wasn't in the mood to fight with his friend so he lied, "Came to see if you wanted to throw a ball around –maybe practice some of the moves Dad taught us."

Rose looked over at her nephew and son, "Dinner is an hour away. Why don't you go ahead?"

Marc gave his aunt a strange look, able to tell she was somewhat nervous, "O-kay. Guess I could work up a bigger appetite."

Putting Carlos down on the floor, he picked up his ball and glove, heading towards the stairs as he looked over at Gabriel, "You forgot to bring your football?"

"Uh," Gabe looked down at his hands, shrugging sheepishly as he looked over at Marc, "Guess I forgot it."

"Right…I'll bring mine."

Marc knew he was being lied too but didn't say anything, not wanting to get pissed because it always ruined his appetite and from the smells in the kitchen, Tia Rosa was making his favorite meal –slow cooked brisket, which mean a ruined appetite was not an option.

Rose let out a sigh once they left, looking over at Carlos –he was now climbing all over Einstein, the old hound-dog having followed Marc from his room where he liked to spent his alone time.

"That was close," Rose let out a sigh of relief, Carlos laughing when she leaned down to tickle his tummy, "_A little no, corazón de mi vida?_"

* * *

"Ready?"

Vivi nodded, keeping her hand relaxed in Roger's as they glided into the middle of the ice where it was slick and not as crowded, most people staying on the outskirts where they could hold on to the walls and ledges.

Pulling her slightly ahead of him, he placed his free hand on her waist as she easily moved into an _arabesque_, her free arm in fifth position as he turned her, simultaneously dropping her hand and taking her waist, lifting her into a _promenade._

They kept at it for another hour or so, working on their _promenades, presage, pirouettes_, and_ arabesques_ over and over, until the buzzer sounded for skaters to leave the ice.

Keeping her hand in his, they moved slowly towards the only exit, the sounds of voices and laughter competing with the 80s music playing out of the loudspeakers.

"That was easier than I thought it was going to be."

Roger smiled down at her, slightly awed –and not for the first time –with how pretty she was with her big odd colored eyes, her gold-red hair framing a perfect oval face, the tip of her nose a bright pink, "You were much more relaxed towards the end there."

"I guess Miss Trinity was right," Vivi's smile was shy as he pulled her towards the line at the concession stand, neither having difficulty walking on the skates they were wearing, "It's much harder to do some of the jumps off ice, though, so I guess that kind of put me in a position to trust you wouldn't let me fall."

Roger laughed as they stood at the end of the line, keeping her hand in his as he gave her a grin, "I'll never let you fall…it'll ruin my opportunities for a dancing career if I start dropping ballerinas on their heads this early on in the game."

Vivi laughed, reaching up to tuck a curl behind her ear, her stomach tight with nerves as she wondered if she should let go of his hand, "Yeah, just like mine would be over if I can't do _pas de deux_."

"I don't think you'll have much trouble with that," Roger dug his free hand into the back pocket of his jeans to pull out his wallet as they reached the counter, "You're graceful, light and easy to follow. Do you want marshmallows in your hot chocolate?"

"Oh," Vivi dug her hand into her pocket in search of her money, "My aunt gave me money in case I wanted a snack."

"Put it away, I'm buying," Roger squeezed her hand, grinning as a blush colored her smooth alabaster skin –he was certain it was the prettiest thing he'd ever seen, "I asked you out, after all."

"Oh," Vivi stared up at him in surprise, her brain spinning as she tried to figure out what to say, "Uhm…this is a date? I thought we were practicing because Miss Trinity –"

Roger gave her a sheepish smile, "Actually, I didn't really talk to Miss Trinity about it…I just thought…well…think of it as a pre-date…you know…just to see if, maybe, a real date would follow."

She knew she was staring at him but she couldn't help it, her thoughts a jumbled mess jumping over each other.

_He doesn't know! He doesn't know you're just a kid!_

_You need to tell him –tell him you're twelve and you're not allowed to date –_

_But he's sixteen! And oh so cute!_

_Yeah, he's sixteen…and you're twelve! It's wrong…_

_Why? He's sweet and really nice and he doesn't go hot and cold like –_

_Like Gabriel. Have you forgotten about Gabriel? Have you?_

_Of course not! But…he likes ballet; just like me and he's so nice to me…and he makes me feel special –_

_And you're twelve! This is not right! Tell him!_

"Are you okay?"

Vivi gave a slight jump as he broke through the struggle going on in her head, biting her bottom lip as she gave a quick jerk of her head, noticing they had reached the counter, "I'm okay…I'm sorry, I zoned out for a bit. I would like marshmallows in my hot chocolate, please."

Roger gave her a smile before giving the order to the girl behind the counter, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand as she swallowed hard, her stomach fluttering strangely as the heat in her face increased.

"There's empty chairs over there at that table," he pointed, letting go of her hand to take the two cups of hot chocolate, having already paid for them, "Want to sit for a bit?"

"Uhm…sure."

She felt awkward, the silence a bit heavy as they sat at the little round table, knees knocking together, Vivi keeping her cold hands around her cup.

Roger watched her eyes as they moved around the room, only giving him shy glances before she looked down into the marshmallows floating on her hot chocolate. He could tell she was nervous and had to wonder if she never before been on a date, "So how long have you been dancing?"

Vivi took a sip of her hot chocolate, licking off the sticky marshmallow from her top lip before she looked up to answer him, "Since I was five…my first grade teacher put on a Christmas show for the parents –all the girls voted for dancing and the boys, who said they wouldn't get caught dead doing something so girly were made to sing."

Roger chuckled as he took a sip of his hot chocolate sans marshmallows, drumming the fingers of his other hand against the table's surface, "Did you get hooked after your first recital? Dancing in front of the crowd, everyone clapping at the end, all the hard work coming together into something beautiful and magical –it's the reason I like it."

Vivi gave him a smile of surprise, "That's exactly how I feel…like it's an entirely different world outside of the one we live in…you know?"

"Yeah…I do."

Blushing, she dropped her eyes to the cup in her hands, "I actually didn't get to dance my first recital…my aunt had an accident and we had to leave before…but she enrolled me into Trinity as soon as the new year started. I've been going ever since."

"Are you planning on going all the way?"

Vivi nodded, long curls tumbling around her shoulders, the pink knit cap she wore over her head giving her skin a pearlescent sheen that made her eyes more golden than brown, "I want to go to Juilliard…be a prima…Nika wants to go with me but says she's happy being part of the corps but me…I want to go all the way to the top."

Roger grinned at the enthusiasm in her face, enjoying the way her eyes sparkled as she shared her plans with him, "And I'm sure you will…the ballet world is small so we just might run into each other. I myself am looking into BBT…I have to start working on my audition piece next year. Miss Trinity's helping me out with that which is good because choreography is not my thing."

"I know what you mean," Vivi lifted her cup to her mouth, taking a sip of the now warm liquid, the marshmallows having long melted which made the drink sweeter but she didn't mind, "Nika has a knack for it. Not only that but she has a way of picking the oddest songs and actually making it work."

"Really?"

"Yup," she gave a nod, no longer hearing the voices that had been clamoring for her attention, solely focused on the topic at hand, "We're doing a duo for the finals in February…using a Maroon 5 song."

"No way," Roger laughed, green yes dancing as h reached up to run his fingers through the blond hair falling over his forehead, "They're my favorite band –I can't even thing of how it'll look."

"You'll have to come to the finals –Nika assures me it'll be epic."

"I'm pretty sure it will be."

By the time Roger's mother showed up, Vivi had forgotten about telling him her age, simply enjoying herself as she shared her thoughts and dreams for the future without any need to hold back.

It was simply nice to just let herself be.


	57. Chapter 54 Part 2

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I'm starting to think this story is going to go into the triplet digit chapters. I hope y'all don't mind that, especially now that things are moving along with the kiddos, right? Anyway, enjoy as you read!**

**Kids and Ages in this chapter: Marc -14yrs old/9thgrd: Vivi -12yrs old/8thgrd: Tyra -5yrs old/1st grd: and as always, Gabe's age is next to the chapter and he's in eighth grade.**

**Chapter Fifty-Four **_(12 yrs old)_**  
Part B**

"No fucking way!"

"Yep," Marc smirked as he threw the football, a perfect spiral arching fifteen feet into a perfect landing in Gabriel's arms, "Uncle Seth convinced Tia it would be safe. The only thing is I have to pay the entrance fee myself."

"Five hundred dollars," Gabriel threw the pigskin overhead, Marc having to run to catch it, "Do you have that much money to blow on a race?"

"I'm a couple hundred short but between now and June, I should be able to save up, do extra chores and odd jobs here and there," Marc spun the ball between his hands before arching his arm behind his head and sending it flying but even though he put as much strength behind the throw, Gabriel only took three quick steps back, easily catching it on the down swing, "Bailey said she and Brad are working on wearing down Uncle Sam and Aunt Emily –she's got money to cover the entrance fee and Brad's only a hundred short."

"You fuckers," despite the words, Gabriel shook his head as he punted the ball to Marc, watching it flip end over end, Marc running to try to make the catch, "Going to Dry Hill Run and leaving me here to rot."

"Hey," Marc jogged back, the bite of the late evening breeze tugging at his hair and windbreaker, "You're turning thirteen in May. Get Aunt Leah to sign the permits and you're in."

"Easier said than done," Gabriel kicked at the pebbles, shifting his shoulders inside the windbreaker he wore as he stuffed his hands into the pockets –he was starting to feel the cold, not to mention the gnawing hunger growing in his stomach, "Mom's really psycho about keeping us safe –she tells me its Uncle Seth's fault."

Marc laughed, crouching down as he set the football on the ground, "The broken arm, right?"

"Yeah."

Laughing, Marc tossed the ball to Gabriel as he stood up, shaking out his legs before stuffing his hands into the pockets of his windbreaker as they both heard a loud grumble, "I believe my stomach says it's time for dinner."

* * *

Rose walked into the living room, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth at the sight of her husband standing by the living room window, the porch light illuminating the entire front yard, "Seth…what are you doing?"

"Uh," Seth startled a bit, having been focused on the empty street in front of his house. Turning to look at Rose, he gave a small shrug, "Nothing, really…just…enjoying the view."

Rose shook her head as she picked up Carlos who had toddled over to her with his arms up, "I told Roger to get her home at six thirty…it's barely six twenty."

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't hurt if he brings her home earlier," Seth went back to looking outside the window, "That would give him major brownie points…not that they would do him any good. How old did you say he was?"

"I didn't say," Rose looked into Carlos' big hazel eyes, grinning at the giggles he gave her when she fluttered her eyelashes at him, "He looks about fifteen…maybe sixteen."

"She's twelve, Rose," Seth turned to give his wife a scowl, the heavy turquoise curtains covering their large living room window fisted in his hand, "Twelve –why would you let her go out with a sixteen year old boy?"

"It's not a date, Seth. He said they needed the extra practice for the Christmas performance –"

"It was a line, Rose," Seth turned his attention back to the view outside, glancing down at his watch to see it was six twenty five, "Boys make up any excuse to spend some alone time with a pretty girl."

"What excuses did you make?"

Seth was about to answer but he caught sight of his nephews walking up the sidewalk just as a white SUV pulled up in front of their house, "Ah shit…this is not good."

* * *

"Is Aunt Rose making brisket," Gabe walked beside Marc as they headed towards the main road several miles from First Beach, turning a corner and heading towards the Clearwater's place, Gabe's own house some streets further down, "'Cause the house smelled great when I got there."

"That's why I walked through the kitchen," Marc kicked at a rock as they turned another corner, his eyebrows lowering as a white SUV coming the opposite way pulled up in front of his house, "I wonder who that is?"

Gabe looked over as the back passenger door opened, his eyebrows lowering as they watched a strange boy with blond hair jumping out, closing the door before running around the back of the vehicle, everything slowing down then coming to a screeching halt as he opened the door, Vivi stepping out with her hand in his.

"Oh boy," Marc muttered under his breath, eyes wide as he watched his little sister walking up the walk towards the front porch, still holding the guy's hand…and laughing as she smiled up at him.

She hadn't noticed them yet but it was just a matter of time since Gabriel was moving fast up the sidewalk and although Marc himself was very interested in knowing who this moron holding his sister's hand was, his biggest concern was getting there before Gabe to avoid bloodshed of any kind.

Gabe himself had no idea he was still walking, the sharp twinge in his gut along with the rising anger making it impossible for him to notice anything other than Vivi –_his Vivi_ –holding hands with the blond haired asshole beside her.

"I really had fun," Vivi's soft words broke through the red haze clouding Gabriel's mind, his breath stuttering as he stopped a few feet away from them, the slight noise having Vivi look over her shoulder.

Marc reached them as Vivi and the guy turned around, stopping to stand a little ahead of Gabriel, "Hey sis. Who's this?"

Vivi's face flushed a deep read, her eyes wide as she moved away from Roger, having released his hand as soon as she caught sight of Gabriel, "Oh, uhm…this is Roger –he's my dance partner for the show…you know, _The Nutcracker._"

"Nice to meet you," Marc held out his hand, shaking Roger's hand with a friendly smile, "I'm Marc, Vivi's older brother."

"Oh," Roger grinned as he shook Marc's hand back, eyes flicking over to Gabriel then back to him, "Vivi tells me you play baseball."

"Yeah," Marc dropped his hand, stuffing them into the pockets of his windbreaker as he quickly glanced over at Gabriel, fighting back the urge to kick him for the way he was staring at his sister, "Shortstop. You play any sports?"

"No," Roger shook his head as he looked over at Gabriel again, wondering why the hell he was glaring at Vivi who was squirming beside him with an obvious look of guilt on her pretty face, "Ballet is pretty much all I do –although, I am a Seahawks fan."

Marc gave a nod, elbowing Gabriel to get him to stop glaring at his sister but it didn't help, "They're a good team."

The silence was heavy, the scowl on Gabriel's face growing darker as he kept staring at Vivi, his jaw tense as he ground his teeth in an attempt to keep his anger under control.

Roger finally looked over at the angry looking boy staring at Vivi, feeling slightly protective of her due to the way the kid was obviously making her feel, "I didn't get your name."

Gabriel turned angry blue eyes towards him, not saying anything because he knew if he opened his mouth, his name was not going to be the thing coming out of it.

"This is Gabriel," Vivi's voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible, her eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears, "He's my…uhm…"

Marc couldn't help the smirk spreading across his face, "He's her cousin…well, our cousin."

Gabriel sucked in a breath, turning his attention to Marc, the smirk on his face finally breaking the tenuous control he had on his anger, "Fuck you."

Marc opened his mouth to say something equally unpleasant but he let out a surprised huff of air, doubling over when Gabriel slammed the football into his stomach. The front door opening had them all look up as Seth stepped out onto the porch, Rose staying just inside the open door with Carlos in her arms.

"Hey, Gabe," Seth headed down the steps with a loose-limbed walk, reaching out to pull Vivi under his arm as he gave his nephew a pointed look, "Your mom called –she wants you home for dinner."

Gabriel looked at his uncle for a few seconds, turning his gaze towards Vivi, saying nothing before turning and heading down the sidewalk towards his house, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, his shoulders and back tense.

Vivi bit her bottom lip, letting out a shaky breath as she stepped away from Seth, calling out after him but he didn't stop, just kept walking away from her.

Marc grabbed her arm to stop her from running after him, looking down into her red-rimmed eyes with a soft smile, "_Ahorita no, Viviana. Dale tiempo y espacio_." ***Not now, Viviana. Give him time and space***

Roger watched the entire thing unfolding, feeling seriously confused with everything happening, "Okay, what's going on?"

Seth placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze just shy of painful, "Nothing for you to worry about. Vivi, Marc, your aunt has dinner on the table so get on in."

Vivi nodded, sniffing as she pulled her arm out of Marc's hand, giving Roger a shy smile, "Thanks for today. I'll see you at practice tomorrow."

Roger nodded, about to tell her he had enjoyed their time together but she didn't wait for him, running up the walk and into the house, Marc following at a slower pace, easily catching the little boy in his aunt's arms when he threw himself towards him.

"Thanks for dropping her off on time," Seth kept his hand on Roger's shoulder, giving him a friendly smile, "It always makes me a tad nervous to have her out of the house what with her being twelve and all."

Roger's green eyes widened in surprise, "Vivi's twelve?"

Seth tilted his head to the side, dropping his hand to hook his thumbs into the belt loops of his jeans, "Did you not know?"

"Uh, no," Roger shook his head, shifting nervously as he took a step away from Seth, "I, uhm…she didn't tell me…then again, I didn't ask so really, it's my fault for assuming she was older. I mean, she looks older what with her being so tall and –"

"An honest mistake," Seth interrupted the nervous rambling, inwardly laughing at the slight glint of fear he could see in the boy's eyes, "I'm sure had you known she was twelve, you wouldn't have asked her out on a date."

"Uhm," Roger felt a slight cramping in his stomach, feeling stupid for his mistake, "It wasn't a date…and nothing happened other than skating and practicing our lifts and stuff."

"Good to know," Seth gave him a pleased nod, lightly punching him on the shoulder, "Looking forward to seeing you two on stage."

"Yeah, uhm," Roger shuffled his feet, nervously running his fingers through his hair as he started walked backwards towards the SUV and his mother, "I gotta go –I have homework to do. Nice meeting you."

Seth watched with a smile as the boy jogged around the SUV to get into the passenger side, several seconds passing before the vehicle did a U-turn to head back towards Forks.

"Proud of yourself?"

Seth looked over at Rose with a cocky grin on his face as he headed up the walkway, "In general, yeah. Did you see his face? I swear he was about to piss his pants."

Rose rolled her eyes at him, looking up into his brown-green eyes as he stopped before her, "I don't see why you had to scare him like that."

"Baby," Seth reached out and snagged her around the waist, pulling her flush against his body, "No way in hell am I going to be letting a sixteen year old boy –hell, any boy for that matter –come sniffing around my Ladybug...especially when she's twelve years old."

Rose giggled as she wrapped her arms around his narrow waist, "Are you going to be doing the same thing if we ever have a daughter?"

Seth smirked as he dipped his head to whisper into her ear, "We ever have a daughter, she won't be seeing boys until she's twenty-six. Had I been there when the little shit asked her out, I would have insisted on driving her there, staying and bringing her back as soon as they finished, which I bet was long before six thirty."

"Are you saying I'm –"

"Hey," Marc called out from the kitchen's entry way, "Is it okay if we start eating without you two? 'Cause Carlos and I are starving –right buddy?"

"Eat!"

Seth laughed as he ushered Rose into the warmth of their home, closing and locking the door behind him before following her into the kitchen, noticing the empty chair at the table, "Where's Vivi?"

March shrugged as he set the last setting on the table, "She said she wasn't hungry –headed upstairs to her room."

Rose gave Seth a sideways look, "See what you did?"

"Me," Seth scoffed as he sat down at the head of the table, placing a hand over his chest, "I'd like to think I saved lives tonight."

"You did," Marc agreed as he placed the pitcher of lemonade in the middle of the table, "But I'm too hungry to explain how so let's eat then I'll go upstairs and see if Vivi'll talk to me."

* * *

_Four Days Later_

A soft knock on his bedroom door was followed by his mother's voice, "Gabriel, you have a phone call."

"I don't want to talk to anyone."

The door opened, Leah walking in with the cordless phone in her hand, giving him a soft smile as she held out the phone, "Its Vivi."

Pushing himself to a sitting position on his bed, he took the phone from her then pushed the END button, handing it back to her before flopping back onto his bed, staring up at his ceiling with his hands tucked behind his head.

"Gabriel, baby, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Leah let out a soft sigh as she moved to sit on the side of his bed, her hands hanging between her knees, "You've been ignoring Vivi's calls for the past four days, won't come out of your room and I heard you yell at the twins, which is strange being you're the most patient with them. Obviously, something happened."

The silence was heavy as Gabriel kept his eyes on the ceiling, Leah simply waiting him out, her eyes studying the tense lines of his beautiful face.

"How does it feel to imprint?"

Leah was a tad bit shocked at his question as she tried to figure out how to answer it, "Well…it's a little hard to explain…why don't you tell me how you feel about Vivi, then I can tell you if it's anything like what I felt when I imprinted on your Daddy."

Gabriel kept his eyes on the ceiling, his legs crossed at the ankles as he jiggled his foot in agitation, "When she smiles…it makes me happy…I like making her smile 'cause it feels good, you know?"

Leah nodded, not speaking as she watched him struggle to put words to what he felt, her own heart aching at the play of emotions on his face.

"But sometimes, she…she…"

She could see it on his face, a look so painfully familiar despite how long it had been –hadn't she once been there after all?

"Gabriel, you have my permission to express yourself however you need to."

Gabe's blue eyes moved to give his mother a slightly suspicious look, "You won't wash my mouth out with soap?"

Leah chuckled softly as she shook her head, reaching up to tuck her hair behind an ear, "No, I won't. So just let it out."

Taking a deep breath, he tried to keep the bubbling anger under control but having been given permission to own up to his feelings, he couldn't help the explosion as he sat up, "She fucking pisses me off!"

Leah stared at him in surprise but didn't say anything, letting him vocalize what he had been holding in for the past four days.

"It's not like she doesn't know I like her," Gabriel shoved his fingers through his hair, giving it a slight pull before dropping his hands to his lap, "I haven't made it more fucking obvious yet there she was, holding hands with some asshole from her dance class and as if that didn't suck enough, she was smiling at him, mama. Smiling at him! Like he hung the fucking moon or something –oh, oh! And get this. She told him she had fun. What the fuck!"

Leah was trying so hard not to laugh –she had had no idea her baby had such a filthy mouth. Aside from the occasional slip-ups, she had never heard him use that kind of language around her.

"You know, the Marc thing –I always thought she had no choice, believed the little shit annoyed her as much as he annoys me when he insists on going with us to the movies, or to get ice cream, but now…now I'm thinking she puts him up to it. If she doesn't want to be with me, then why the fuck does she let me hold her hand at school, uh? All the boys at school knows she's mine so they leave her alone –dammit, mama! She knows –she knows! So what the fuck was she doing with that dickwad? Trying to make me jealous?"

The seconds of silence trickled into minutes before Leah realized he was actually expecting an answer to his question, "Well…it's a little hard to explain what she was thinking, baby, but one thing I do know for sure…"

"What?"

"You haven't imprinted on Vivi."

Gabriel scowled at his mother, the anger he felt still visible in his blue eyes which, strangely, looked more like ice than fire, "You sound relieved."

Leah let out a soft sigh as she set the phone on the bed beside his knee, "I guess I am, in a way. You're still young, Gabriel…to have imprinted on someone –it's too much of a responsibility for a boy your age."

"Emmie imprinted and you don't think that, do you?"

"Ah," Leah wagged her finger at him with a smile, "See, there's the difference. Emmie didn't imprint –Embry did. A grown man able to understand the consequences and responsibility that comes with imprinting. You…your feelings are those of a normal soon to be teenage boy –albeit, a little more possessive than they should be, but not the feelings that come with imprinted love."

Gabriel lifted his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he looked away from his mother, the strange pressure around his heart competing with the anger inside him, "So you're saying I don't love her?"

"I'm saying you like her –a lot," Leah reached out to run her fingers through his hair, hating the tense way he held himself as he kept his eyes on the wall his bed was up against, "But like is not the same thing as love…and love is not the same thing as imprinted love. Baby…you're punishing her for doing what she did –does that sound like love to you?"

Gabriel shrugged, not bothering to answer or look at her, his own thoughts a hurricane inside him tossing about his feelings like so much garbage.

"Look," Leah moved closer, wrapping her arms around him, her heart lurching hard against her ribs when, after a few seconds, he let himself relax into her hug, "I think that…as much as Vivi has the right to see someone else, so do you. You haven't asked her to be in an exclusive relationship, so why not get to know other girls? Maybe make a few new friends."

"Why do I have to ask her? She said yes when I told her we're getting married."

Leah bit back the chuckle making its way back, glad she could bury her smile in his hair, "You told her you were getting married? Ah, baby, there's your problem."

"What problem?"

"No girl likes being told what to do," Leah pulled back to look into his eyes, stroking her thumb over his cheek as she tried to look at him through impartial eyes but she couldn't –all she was able to see was her baby boy looking up at her with hurt in his eyes, "So maybe you can try asking her…I mean, have you ever asked her out on a date?"

"No…"

"Asked her to be your girlfriend?"

"No…"

"Then until you do, you're both free to see anyone you like, be friends with anyone you care too."

Gabriel wrinkled his nose as if he smelled something disgusting, "I don't like it."

"Then I guess there's only one thing for you to do."

Lifting a shoulder, he dropped his eyes to the navy blue bedspread covering his bed, "I guess."

Kissing his forehead, she stood up, taking the phone from his bed and making her way to the bedroom door, stopping just before she stepped out, "Want me to leave the phone so you can call Vivi?"

He stared at the phone for a few seconds before shaking his head, "No, thank you."

"Still punishing her, uh?"

"She smiled at him, mama!"

* * *

_December 20__th_

Five days and he still hadn't talked to Vivi.

Slouching on the couch, he flipped through the TV channels, looking for something worth seeing. It wasn't really about punishing her anymore; he just didn't know what to say.

What if she told him she wanted to see the jackass she had gone out with again?

Letting out a sigh, he settled on the sports channel, glad to see they were doing a rerun of the century's best hockey games every played in the US.

A commercial was reeling through when he caught sight of his little sister Tyra walking down the hall, her little shoulders drooping, her bottom lip pocking out in a forlorn pout.

"What's the matter, Pouty Puss?"

Tyra stopped in the middle of the living room, her blond pigtails trembling as she cocked her head to the side, "My name's Tyra, not Pouty Puss. You know that, Gabe."

Gabe chuckled as he kicked off his shoes and crossed his feet on the coffee table, "Yeah, I do. I was just commenting on the look on your face. You okay?"

Tyra shrugged as she rubbed the toe of her pink and purple sneakers against the bright colored rug that covered their living room floor, "I'm bored…Avy is taking a nap with mama and the baby so I can't play with him."

"Where's Zak?"

"Daddy took him to the store –Ady and Aly went too. I think they're picking out new fish for Zak and I heard mama tell Daddy to get a cage for Slinky."

"Who's Slinky?"

Tyra's big brown-green eyes looked at him as if he were clueless, "He's Ady's and Aly's snake. Mama doesn't want him loose in the house."

Gabe chuckled as he patted the spot next to him on the couch, "Then come sit with me –I'll play with you."

"Really?"

He nodded his head, grinning as she skipped across the living room and scrambled up onto the couch, the pants of her denim overalls creeping up her legs to reveal bright orange socks. His sister had a strange sense of fashion, for sure, being the socks in no way matched her girly sneakers or the neon green long sleeve shirt she wore under the denim blue overalls.

"What are we playing?"

Tyra finished situating herself on the couch before tucking her hands behind her back and looking up at her brother with a purposeful look, "How many fingers do I have?"

He pursed his lips to keep from laughing, tapping his finger against his chin, "Uhm…ten?"

Tyra giggled as she pulled out her hands, holding up two fingers in one and a fist in the other, "No, silly. I have two."

"Ah, shucks," Gabe snapped his fingers, giving her a teasing frown, "Let me try again."

"Okay."

She tucked her hands behind her back again, "How many fingers do I have now?"

Tapping his finger against his chin, he studied her face, unable to find a clue in those guileless brown-green eyes staring back at him –if he had to be honest, out of all his siblings, Tyra was his favorite and it was mostly due to the fact she had mama's eyes, "Five?"

Tyra laughed, pulling out three fingers and a fist, "Wrong again!"

"You switched them!"

Tyra gasped as she gave him a look of dismay, "No, I didn't! I don't cheat."

"You're right," Gabe tugged at one of her pigtails, "You don't. Sorry."

She gave him a beaming smile as the sports announcer started talking, Gabe looking over at the TV before looking at his sister, "Wanna watch the greatest hockey games ever with me?"

Tyra squirmed around in the couch until she snuggled into his side, her feet not even reaching the end of the couch cushion, "Okay."

He kept his arm around her, her head resting against his chest as they quietly watched the show. This was another reason he liked Tyra the best –she didn't have the incessant need to talk, like Emmie did. Had his sister been here, she would have been explaining the physics and shit concerning one of the best American sports ever.

Slouching deeper into the couch, he frowned as the phone started to ring, Tyra looking up at him for a few seconds to see if he was going to move to answer it but he didn't, just kept his eyes on the screen. After four rings, it stopped and he couldn't help wondering if it had been Vivi again.

"What's wrong, Pouty Puss?"

Gabe laughed as he looked down at his little sister, giving her a squeeze, "Nothing, Ty. Nothing's wrong."

"Are you mad at Vivi?"

He lowered his eyebrows as he looked down at her, the hockey game highlights forgotten, "Why do you ask that?"

"'Cause she calls you and calls you and you won't talk to her."

He let out a sigh as he dropped his head back, staring up at the ceiling before answering in a low voice, "Yeah, I guess I was."

"You should talk to her. Daddy says comu-nation is key to every 'ationship."

He chuckled as he turned his head to look at her, "It's not that easy."

"Sure it is," Tyra nodded her head in that old wise way all five year olds had, "Just pick up the phone and talk to her. Tell her why you're mad then she can fix it."

"What if she can't," Gabe swallowed back a thick lump forming in his throat, "What if she doesn't want too?"

Tyra shrugged as she turned her attention back to the television screen, "Then you get over it."

He shook his head with a chuckle, watching his little sister as she avidly watched the game unfolding on the screen, every once in a while jumping in her seat when someone scored a goal.

Get over it…maybe it was time he did just that.

* * *

_December 22__nd__  
McCaw Hall at the Seattle Center_

"What are you doing here?"

Gabe rolled his eyes as he moved away from his family, his hands in the pockets of his black slacks, "Your aunt send us tickets…besides, I promised Vivi I would come."

"Oh right," Marc glared at him, the hunter green button down shirt he wore with black slacks giving his skin a tanned hue he usually didn't have due to the lack of sun in Washington, "Like it would matter to her after you've ignored her for five days."

"That's none of your business."

"She's my sister –of course it's my business."

Gabe couldn't take it anymore, his blue eyes even brighter due to the blue button down shirt he was wearing, "You know what? No, it's not. Your sister is her own person, able to make her own choices and shit. So fine, if she wants to date some other asshat, there's nothing you or I can do about it. What would be nice would be if you kept your nose out of her choices no matter what they are."

Marc arched an eyebrow as he gave Gabe a measured look, "You think she's going to choose you, don't you?"

Gabe let out a sigh, shrugging his shoulders as he watched the brightly lit foyer filling up with people, family and friends of the performers although a good number of them were from the reservation, aunt Rose having bought the twenty dollar a ticket for anyone who had wanted to come and watch Vivi and Nika put on their first honest to goodness performance, "I don't know…last week, I would have said yes, without a doubt but…she smiled at him and…look, the point is, you gave him the benefit of the doubt, so you should do the same for me."

"Are you fucking kidding me," Marc kept his voice low so he wouldn't be called to attention for using foul language in a public place, "The only reason I didn't bury my fist into his face was because I had to make sure you didn't go ape-shit on them."

"Oh, right," Gabe rolled his eyes at him as he shifted his weight, hating the black loafers he was wearing, wishing he had stuck to his guns and worn his black Vans like Brad had instead of giving in to his mama's pleading for him to wear the new dress shoes, "That's why you were all Mr. Nice Guy Let's Bond Over Sports and shit."

"Nah, I did that to annoy you," Marc couldn't help grinning as Gabe shot him a glare, "Look…yeah, my sister is her own person and she can make her own decisions and shit but…I don't want to see her hurt."

"What makes you think I'm going to hurt her?"

Marc gave him a look of incredulity, "You're kidding me, right? I just watched her spent the last five days crying every time she called you…which, by the way, you were a total shit for not taking those calls."

"Yeah, well –I had my own shit to figure out," Gabe shrugged again, feeling slightly guilty at Marc's revelation of Vivi's emotional state, "Stuff like that happens in relationships but I'm not going to go out of my way to hurt her so…butt out."

Marc let out a sigh as the lights started blinking, letting everyone know it was time to go in search of their seats, "Fine –but I'm telling you right now. You hurt her, make her feel like shit or show her anything less than the respect she deserves…I'll kill you."

Gabe could see in Marc's dark brown eyes he wasn't being facetious…he was being literal.

He did anything to screw Vivi over…he was going to be screwing himself too.

What a thought.


	58. Chapter 55

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: The poem in this chapter was written by me but inspired by Marc. I hope y'all enjoy this update and hopefully, I can finish the next chapter and update on Saturday but no promises. I still have two more nights of work.**

**Ages of kids as follows: Vivi, 12yrs/8thgrd: Marc, 14yrs/9thgrd: Nika, 12yrs/8thgrd: Bailey, 14yrs/9thgrd: Bradley, 14yrs/9thgrd. For ages of the younger kids, please check the family tree chapter. It's been updated.  
**

**Oh, right, almost forgot -LEMON ALERT! I am enjoying writing the evolving stories of these pre-teens but I am an adult and I occasionally like to have something...stronger shall we say? The lemon alert involves Seth and Rose and I will warn you, it's a straight up lemon shot. **

**Enjoy as you read and as always -REVIEW!**

**Chapter Fifty-Five **_(12 yrs old) _**  
**_December 25__th_

It was awkward to say the least, being they still hadn't talked concerning the event occurring ten days ago.

But it was Christmas so they were all gathered at the Clearwater place, their living room large enough to host eleven kids and six adults plus one dog and a nine foot Christmas tree.

Dinner had been consumed with gusto, gingerbread men and marzipan stars given out to the kids along with mugs of marshmallow loaded hot chocolate laced with peppermint. While the adults were in the kitchen, talking and laughing –baby Erick asleep in his mother's arms –the kids were spread throughout the lower level of the house, playing with their new toys, shrieks of joy and abandonment abundant in the family home.

Vivi sat in the corner of the couch, knees tucked into her chest as she sipped her hot chocolate, eyes watching Xavier and Carlos play together with their new Tonka trucks so she wouldn't stare at Gabriel while he and Marc talked bikes and racing and such. The ache in her chest was a dull pain, what she imagined a pulled tooth would feel like, easy enough to handle so she could get through her day but constantly making its presence known so she wouldn't forget the cause behind it.

Gabe looked away from Marc, catching her staring at him, her face flushing a pale pink but she didn't look away, just kept gazing into his ice blue eyes, her heart beating hard against her chest.

She had never before felt so guilty, having seen something behind the anger in his eyes the night she'd come home with Roger beside her. The realization of what the emotion buried underneath the anger was had hit her as he walked away but Marc had stopped her and for the past week, she had kicked herself for having listened to her brother.

He gave her a small smile before turning his attention back to Marc, her soft sight indiscernible what with the noise all the little ones were making. Minutes passed as she got lost in the twinkling lights of the tree, thinking how beautiful it looked with its abundance of silver tinsel and rainbow hued glass spheres.

Someone dropped next to her, jostling her arm a bit so it was a good thing she had her half full mug of hot chocolate resting on the couch's arm.

She looked up, gold-brown eyes locking onto blue, breathe stuck in her chest as she wondered what to say.

He shifted slightly, Vivi surprised when she felt his side pressing into hers –he had moved closer which meant he wasn't angry with her anymore, right?

Trying to let out her breath slowly, she watched as he dropped his eyes to his hands, knotting his fingers together as he quietly whispered, "I'm sorry."

She bit her bottom lip to keep it from dropping open –she hadn't expected him to be the one apologizing, "For what?"

"For…" Gabe's jaw was tense and she could tell he was biting the inside of his cheek before he looked up, "For not answering when you called."

"Oh," she dropped her eyes, fingers rubbing patterns into the dark purple leggings she wore with a pewter gray knee length sweater dress, the belt around her small waist matching the leggings, "I guess…I guess I understand. I mean, you were angry about…"

She stopped, not wanting to bring up the reason behind his silence but the tension radiating off of him let her know it was at the forefront of his thoughts.

"So…" Gabe shifted, rubbing his hands against the worn denim of his jeans, eyes averted, "Are you going to be seeing that Donald guy again?"

Vivi couldn't hold back a giggle, gold-brown eyes dancing as she gave him a small smile, "It's Roger –and no, I'm not. He's sixteen so I'm not allowed…he's just a friend, Gabriel."

Gabe nodded, looking down at his sneakers as he crossed his arms over his chest, "It's okay if you want to date him –that's your choice."

"It wasn't a date –besides, with the show finished, there's no reason to see him again."

He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, "So you won't go out with him again?"

Was he not listening to her? "No, I won't."

Facing her, he stared into her eyes as he quietly asked, "Because you don't want too or because Uncle Seth won't let you?"

She didn't have to be a genius to understand the importance of such a simple question, "Because I don't want too."

Gabe studied her quietly, measuring the sincerity in her eyes for a minute or two before he gave her one of his 'just hers' smiles, his shoulders relaxing, "Cool…no, wait, I meant, well, you can be friends with whoever you want…and you can see them whenever…just like I can."

Vivi didn't like the implications of those last four words, "What do you mean?"

"Well…I shouldn't be telling you who to be friends with…and mama told me it would be good for us to make other friends. You know…see other people."

Vivi's stomach twisted into a vicious knot, her breath catching in her throat before she asked in a rush, "See other people? Like…you seeing other girls?"

Gabe shrugged, dropping his eyes to his hands but the damage was done –he felt like a total jerk at the devastation he'd seen in her eyes because he knew the only reason he had even brought up the ridiculous notion of seeing other girls was to make her feel what he had felt, "Yeah…although I think girls are silly –well, except for you. You're…you're my best friend."

Vivi blinked back the rush of tears, dropping her eyes to keep him from seeing the way his words had hurt her although from the way he'd said that last part, almost like an apology, made her wonder if he had caught on, "You're…you're my best friend too…and I'm sorry that –I'm sorry about Roger."

Gabe gave a jerky nod, turning his hand palm side up against his thigh, his heart lurching strangely when she caught on to the peace offering, soft fingers sliding between his before they closed them around each other -a perfect fit, "You should have told me…"

"I just…I didn't want you to get angry."

Gabe gnawed on his bottom lip, keeping his eyes on his thumb as he traced small circles into the back of her hand, "It made me angry 'cause you kept it from me…I mean, you knew about the whole thing before going so it's not like it just happened and you didn't have time to say anything."

She bit her bottom lip, reaching up to wipe away at a tear before it could make its way down her cheek, "I'm sorry."

Gabe finally looked up into her gold-brown eyes, studying her pretty face before he leaned in close enough to rest his forehead against hers, his words heavy with the seriousness they carried, "I don't like it when other boys look at you or touch you or hug you…but I especially don't like it when you smile at them…that's something I'll have to get over…or learn how to deal with but…if they don't matter, if it means nothing, don't hide it from me. It felt like a punch in the gut when I saw you smiling at him."

Sniffing back a sob, she reached up to touch his face with her free hand, "I'm sorry."

He nodded, closing his eyes as he dropped his head to her shoulder, the warm caress of her breath against his cheek cooling the anger he still had inside him, "Next time, just tell me. I'll make sure and do the same."

She sucked in her breath, the scent of rain and damp earth having her head swimming but it didn't take away from the pain of his words –she had to figure out something because she knew there was no way she could ever survive seeing him with another girl, laughing and holding hands…in that manner, he was a stronger person than her because she knew she wouldn't deal with it if the roles were reversed.

"Okay, you two," Marc nudged their heads apart, standing behind the long couch as Emmie climbed onto the couch beside Gabe, "Break it up. We're gonna watch a movie but there's no cuddling allowed so Carlos, come sit here little man."

Carlos laughed as he scrambled up onto the couch between Vivi and Gabe, Marc jumping over the couch to land at the other end beside Emmie as Xavier climbed up to join Carlos, the two little bodies effectively creating the space Marc deemed acceptable.

The movie started, one of the new Disney releases, Marc occasionally looking over at his sister and Gabe but they were both watching the screen, the two little boys snuggled between them. Feeling satisfied, he turned his attention back to the movie, letting himself enjoy the unfolding story of _The Croons._

What he missed and no one bother to point out, were the still joined hands hidden between the two little boys, Vivi and Gabe able to feel each others' hearts beating together, the simple gesture giving them much needed comfort.

* * *

_January 16__th_

His mother had asked to take Carlos for the day so she could spend some time with him and being he would like some alone time with his wife, Seth didn't even let his mom explain what she wanted to do before agreeing.

Closing the front door behind him, his smile grew at the sound of running water, placing the dozen pink roses he had bought for Rose on the coffee table before heading towards the bathroom they shared, pulling his t-shirt over his head and letting it fall to the floor as he opened the door.

He was greeted by a cloud of steam and he knew he was in trouble –not because of the heat in the bathroom or the fogged up shower walls but because of the luscious scent assaulting his senses, the wolf inside him stirring with a lusty growl.

Kicking off his sneakers, he chucked off his jeans and boxer briefs, pulling off his socks before opening the shower door, closing it as he reached out to snag Rose around her small waist, pulling her back against his front as he buried his nose into her wet throat, a growl rumbling deep in his chest at the delicious smell of cherry blossoms.

Rose shivered as he flattened his hands over her stomach, moving them up her slick skin, her nipples tightening long before he reached her breasts. She knew words weren't needed, their bodies communicating in the most basic and intimate of ways as she stretched her arms over her head, burying fingers into his wet hair as he gently bit her on the side of her neck.

His thumbs brushed over her pebbled nipples, his mouth opened over her shoulder as he pushed his hips against her backside, the feel of her fingernails raking the back of his neck having his chest vibrate with another growl.

Moving his hand down her stomach, he cupped her, slipping his middle finger between her folds to rub the little bundle of nerves in lazy circles, her soft moans making him hot as he pushed his hand deeper between her thighs, his other hand squeezing and molding her breast as he pulled and tweaked her nipple.

Her breath stuttered as he pushed a finger into her, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth as her hips jerked forward, her thighs tight around his wrist in a silent plea for him to continue. Moving his hand up between her breasts, he cupped her jaw, turning her head to capture her lips in a tongue thrusting kiss, his teeth nipping at her bottom lip, the tip of her tongue sliding over his upper lip having him groan into her mouth.

The now lukewarm water pelted them, Seth turning her around and pressing her up against the tiled wall all in one move, his mouth on hers as he slid his hands up her body, squeezing her breasts before stroking down her back to cup her round bottom, his thigh between hers pushing her up onto the tip of her toes as she dragged her nails down his back before reaching up to hold on to his wide shoulders.

He sucked on her tongue, nipping at the corners of her mouth before dragging his open mouth down her throat, sucking and biting, kissing the sting away before moving on, his hands on her hips holding her in place as he dropped to his knees.

Licking and biting at her bellybutton, he pushed his tongue in, his thumbs rubbing circles against her hipbones, able to feel the raised skin of the tattoo of his name on her left hip under the pad of his thumb, the possessiveness flooding him ten times stronger than usual.

Breathing her in, he couldn't think of anything but the heady scent of her arousal, the heat of her body and the needy sounds escaping her as she fisted her hands in his hair. Abstaining from the pleasure of her sweet taste, he moved his open mouth over her hipbone and sucking hard, knowing the black and blue ink would hide any mark he left behind.

She let out a soft plea but he didn't hear it, didn't understand anything other than the feel of her body, the hot need of her arousal beaconing him like a moth to flame as he went in search of her secrets, the sweet honey of her need for him coating his lips and tongue.

Rose hit the back of her head against the tile as she arched her back, the storm inside her gathering strength with every lick and nip, her moans getting louder as she got closer to the edge, finally falling over into abandoned bliss as he sucked hard at her clit while pushing his finger into her wet heat.

Taking everything she gave him, he gripped the back of her thighs as he stood, plunging into her in one smooth stroke that had her screaming in pleasure as his eyes rolled into the back of his head, the feel of her, tight and wet and oh so hot, had him panting as he moved into her, hard and deep with every stroke, her fingernails digging into his shoulders as she kept her legs locked around his narrow hips.

They both let out simultaneous shouts of exultation, their orgasms coming hard, the world spinning, everything upside down and inside out but with them holding on to each other, it wasn't frightening at all.

Cupping her face in his large hands, he pressed wet smooching kisses on her mouth, his nose brushing against hers as he whispered between every kiss, "I love you. I love you. I love you so damn much, Rosa Maria."

Stroking his jaw, she whispered along with him, her voice thick and husky, "_Te amo. Te amo con todo mi corazon. Te amo."_

He wrapped an arm around her shivering body, reaching out to turn the cold water off before opening the shower door, grabbing a fluffy towel and wrapping it around her, effectively swaddling her from shoulders to knees, "I love you…you're my whole life, Rose."

She gave him a shy smile, holding on to the towel as he took another one, squeezing the water out of her long hair before he rubbed it dry with the towel, tossing it towards the hamper. Moving her to stand before the vanity mirror, he picked up her brush, chuckling as she let out a yawn, "Let me brush out the tangles and you can take a nap."

"Take a nap with me," Rose asked softly, watching him in the mirror as he carefully and gently tugged the brush through her thick hair, the concentration on his face making her smile –he looked just the way Carlos did whenever he was attempting something new.

Kissing her cheek once he was done, he placed the brush back where she kept it, easily lifting her up and walking out of the bathroom, "Sounds good to me. We've got three hours before Marc and Vivi come home from school and mom wants us to stay for dinner when we go pick up Carlos so we've got lots of time for a nap…and other things."

She giggled as he settled her in the middle of the bed, letting out a squeal when he whipped the towel off her as he stated, "You won't be needing this."

Tossing it towards the bathroom, he climbed into bed with her, pulling her into his arms as she tangled her legs with his.

Kissing her swollen lips, he smiled at her sleepy eyes, studying the constant color change of her hazel irises, "So I'm thinking, a thirty minute nap then…"

Her laughter as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively had his soul soaring.

He couldn't possibly find happiness anywhere else but then again, he had no desire to look anywhere else.

* * *

_January 25__th__  
Forks High School, Freshman English_

"There are many ways of expressing ourselves," Miss Julia walked up between two rows of seats, her multicolored floor length skirt floating around her ankles, "Whether it's through words, drawing, music –all these mediums of expression are available to us so we may express…so we may release what's inside us and give it flight, move others into feeling the same, giving of ourselves unto vessels others will take with open arms."

Marc slouched into his seat, rubbing his toe against the back leg of the desk in front of him as he flipped his black pen between his fingers, back and forth, back and forth.

"Within the written means of expression, there are more ways –story telling…prose…poetry. Now, before we let out for the winter break, I had each of you pick out a style of poetry from the can of words and you have had since then to put together a poem of your own following the style you got. I've put your names into the can of words and will be pulling one out, which means you'll be sharing your poem with the rest of the class."

The looks on all their faces expressed similar thoughts –none of them wanted to be the one to stand before the rest to share their poem.

Miss Julia moved to the front of the room, taking the can from the corner of her desk and plunging in her hand, all of them looking ill at ease as she took several seconds before pulling out a slip of paper, everyone holding their breath as she looked at the name she'd written.

"Marc de Lune."

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief as Marc closed his eyes, swallowing hard before he got to his feet, his English notebook in hand.

"Marc, share what style of poetry you picked, what the rules are and then read your poem for the class."

Letting out a sigh as he turned to face his classmates, he opened his notebook to the last page he had written in, catching sight of the encouraging smile Betty gave him from the sixth seat in the third row.

He gave her a tight smile in return, not at all happy about this but there wasn't much he could do about it.

"I got the blitz poem. Basically, it's just a bunch of short phrases and images and it doesn't need to rhyme and it totals to fifty lines. The first two lines need to start with the same word…then the second couple of lines start with the last word of the previous line and so forth so on. The last two lines are different though. Line forty nine starts with the last word of line forty eight and line fifty starts with the last word of line forty seven. The title's only three words –the first word of line three, a preposition or conjunction then the first word of line forty seven. There's no punctuation."

Miss Julia grinned as she sat on the edge of her desk, "Sounds like a fun poem to write."

Marc arched his eyebrow; the expression on his face made it clear he wasn't sharing because e wanted too but because she was making him.

_Fall is True  
By Marc de Lune_

_I stumble  
I fall  
Fall down  
Fall hard  
Hard pain  
Hard life  
Life hurts  
Life kills  
Kills the dream  
Kills the hope  
Hope for life  
Hope for more  
More smiles  
More joy  
Joy in love  
Joy in pain  
Pain hurts  
Pain heals  
Heals wounds  
Heals souls  
Souls weeping  
Souls missing  
Missing pieces  
Missing completely  
Completely gone  
Completely dark  
Dark as night  
Dark as blood  
Blood rushing  
Blood calling  
Calling deep inside  
Calling from hell  
Hell filled with nothing  
Hell empty of everything  
Everything good  
Everything true  
True to self  
True to you  
You who care  
You who love  
Love freely flowing  
Love openly given  
Given to others  
Given and special  
Special and pure  
Special and true  
True of soul  
True of heaven  
Heaven…  
Soul…_

The silence in the classroom was heavy, Marc not bothering to look at the other students as he moved down the aisle to sit back down at his desk, Miss Julia studying him before standing up, the multiple gold bracelets she wore on her wrists giving a musical jingle, effectively breaking the unusual stillness.

"That was brilliant, Marc," she gave him a big smile before glancing at the sun shaped clock on the wall, "Time's almost up. Please type up your poems and turn them in tomorrow."

The murmuring swelled as Miss Julia sat at her desk, not paying attention to them anymore which meant they had the last couple of minutes to themselves.

"_Pss._"

Marc looked over his shoulder as Betty leaned over the top of her desk to get close enough to his, which was in the next row, one seat ahead of hers, "Yeah?"

"That was really good –your poem, I mean," Betty gave him a big smile, her dancing brown eyes making him chuckle softly as he gave a shrug.

"It was alright," Marc stuffed his notebook and textbook –along with a copy of _Don Quixote _which was his end of year English project –into his backpack, "Poetry really isn't my thing but it could have been worse –I could have ended up with a haiku."

Betty giggled, standing up and slinging her bag over her shoulder as the peel of the bell rang across the school campus. Marc matched her shorter strides as they headed out of the classroom to get to their last class of the day, "That one's a hard one –having to get the right amount of syllables and whatnot."

"What did you end up with?"

Betty wrinkled her nose as she re-adjusted the strap over her shoulder, "Refrain…I looked through mom's books on Poe's works to get an idea because apparently, he uses the style in most of them."

Marc laughed as they turned the corner of the hallway, making sure to stay at her side as they moved through the crowd in the main foyer to get to the other side where she had band and he had art, "_From my books surcease of sorrow for the lost Lenore/for the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore/Nameless here for evermore."_

Betty looked up at him in shock, "You know Edgar Allan Poe?"

"Hey," he gave her a teasing wink as they reached the band room, giving her arm a squeeze, "I'm more than just a shortstop on the baseball team. I'll see you tomorrow, k? Coach is having us meet after school to set up try-outs for next year's team."

"Alright," Betty waved at him, staying where she was until he disappeared around the corner, the peel of the bell having her rush into the big band room, her messenger bag tossed on the floor in a corner as soon as she pulled out her clarinet case.

One more hour to end another school day –she sure was looking forward to it.

* * *

_February 2__nd_

"I've pretty much got everything organized," Sue sat down at the kitchen table, placing her legal pad before her, "Daisy's taking care of the music and Emily agreed to do deserts. Jiao is coming down from Port Angeles to help Leah and Meg with the food."

Rose nodded as she kneaded the dough for homemade biscuits, having used a recipe Vivi found off the internet, "What can I help with? I mean, depending on how big a crowd you get, sounds like food will be the biggest job."

Sue nodded, laughing as Carlos crawled under the kitchen table in pursuit of Einstein, the old hound-dog never too tired to play with the two year old, "I'll be helping with the food. So will Linda, Sam's mom, so it won't be that big of a job. What I was hoping you could do, if you're willing, is photographs."

"Photographs?"

"I think it will be a nice keepsake of the whole thing. This is the first Valentine's dinner event we're hosting at the center and we're hoping to make it into a memorable experience."

Rose chuckled as she covered the dough to let it rise, washing her hands in warm water before taking the dishtowel to dry them, "Is this just for the kids here at the reservation?"

"Mostly, yes, but news travels fast and since we're selling the tickets for five dollars each, anyone can come to the center and purchase one –we're limiting it to sixty."

"Sixty –that's a lot of teenagers in one place," Rose moved to the refrigerator, stepping over Carlos who was crawling across the kitchen in his attempt to pretend being a dog, "Is it just dinner?"

Sue shook her head, her brown-green eyes on her grandson as he let out a high pitched bark, Einstein reciprocating with his own baying howl, "We'll have some free space for dancing afterwards –Mikki used to be a hostess up in Port Angeles in one of those five star restaurants so she's in charge of the demographics and such. Emily helped Leah put together the menu so in a way, it'll be a learning experience for these kids. You know, some of them have never left the reservation –not even to go to Forks. There's no need to what with the general store and the ice cream shop we have here, not to mention the beach being within walking distance. I just thought it would be a nice experience for them without the expense –except for the five dollars. And that's not much."

Rose laughed, placing the bowl of marinating chicken breasts next to the stove before looking down at her son, "Carlos, _nene_, go into the living room, please. I don't want to step on your hands."

Carlos pushed himself to his feet, wrapping his arms around her legs as he grinned up at her, "Mama play?"

"I have to make dinner, _bebe_," she cupped his little face, rubbing her thumb over his chubby cheek; "You want to eat, right?"

"Si," Carlos nodded enthusiastically, letting go of her before toddling over to Sue, crawling up into her lap with her help, "Grama play?"

Sue cupped his little face, placing a kiss on his upturned nose, "Of course I will. Let me finish talking to your mama and I'll go find you in the living room."

Cheering, he slid down her legs, landing on his bottom but he simply pushed himself to his feet and ran off, Einstein following behind him with tail wagging in exuberance.

"He's so much like Seth, it's uncanny," Sue shook her head as she watched him coming down the hall with a Tonka truck and tub of Legos, "Yet, at the same time, he looks so much like you."

"Really," Rose's eyebrows dipped as she watched her baby set up shop right at the entry way into the kitchen, "Seth tells me that all the time but aside from the color of his eyes, all I see is Seth. I don't remember ever being such a happy, easy going kid."

Sue gave her daughter-in-law a gentle smile, "You didn't get the chance to be a kid but I'm thinking if you had, you probably would have been just as happy as Carlos."

Rose knew Sue was trying to make her feel better but there was no need –it had taken a while, but she had come to terms with her lack of childhood, especially with the joy of watching her own son grow up without concern for his safety or fear of what might happen.

Her little boy knew nothing could harm him, knew his mother was always nearby to right anything that went remotely wrong and his Daddy would always keep the monsters away –that is, if they even existed, which in Carlos' mind, they wouldn't dare.

"I'll be more than happy to do the pictures, Sue," Rose lowered the eat under the pan, taking one of the chicken breasts and lightly coating it with seasoned breadcrumbs before placing it into the oil coated pan, "Is it possible to, perhaps, create a background or something –like a theme of sorts?"

Sue nodded, grinning at the giggles escaping Carlos as Einstein nudged his cold nose into the little boy's neck, his giggles escalating to belly laughs as he rolled onto his back, Einstein licking every inch of his face he could reach, "I'll have Mikki take care of that –we're using the large conference room, the one where we had your wedding."

"Oh, it's going to be wonderful," Rose's smile grew as the sound of the front door opening cut into their conversation, Carlos' squeals announcing his father's arrival before Seth's deep voice echoed from the living room, "Hey little man!"

Rose looked up as Seth came into the kitchen, Carlos secure in his arms as her baby attempted to buzz his Daddy's cheek, "How did your meeting go?"

"It went well," he gave his mother's cheek a kiss before moving towards Rose, reaching out to tip her face up and place a kiss on her smiling mouth, "Oscar suggested I pitch my design to the company next week."

"They'll love it," she smiled up at him, grinning when Carlos leaned over to kiss her as well. It was something he did whenever he saw his Daddy kissing his mama, "_Gracias, nene."_

"Eat," Carlos asked with a smile and an outstretch hand, giggling when Seth tickled his tummy, shaking his head as his father asked, "Can I eat you, Carlos? 'Cause I'm hungry!"

Carlos squealed as his father nibbled on his cheeks and neck, his little hands pushing at Seth's face, "No eat me! No eat me!"

Rose laughed at their antics, Sue grinning as she casually pointed out, "Einstein was just licking Carlos' face before you came in."

"Oh! Gross!"

* * *

_A Week Later_

He was sicker than a dog and probably feeling just as pathetic.

Hugging the toilet, he felt the hot rush of acid making its way up his throat, a moan of misery following soon after.

"Seth, honey," Rose pushed the door open, tentatively moving into the bathroom, "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay," Seth groaned as his stomach folded in on itself, gagging as the feeling intensified, "I think I just threw up my stomach."

"Maybe you have the stomach flu," Rose took a washcloth from the drawer she kept them in, soaking it in cold water before wringing it out, folding it over and placing it on Seth's neck.

"It's not a bug," Seth groaned, rocking forward onto his knees as he threw up again, giving a pitiful whine, "And it's not food poisoning either."

She ran her fingers through his hair before rubbing his shoulders, "You know what it is, then?"

"Yeah," he wiped his nose with the back of his hand, his tone forlorn as he gave her the news, "We're pregnant."

Rose's eyes widened, hands going still, his skin hot against her palms, "What?"

"I have morning sickness," Seth dropped his head, his forehead resting against his forearm as he whined, "You're carrying the baby and I'm puking my guts out."

Biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing, she took the small glass kept at the sink, filling it halfway with water, "Want me to get you some crackers and ginger ale?"

Seth nodded, sniffing pitifully as he looked up at her with big puppy eyes, "I hate this…it isn't fair."

Rose bit back the desire to laugh at his whiny attitude –it was déjà vu from the last time he'd suffered morning sickness on her behalf, "And you think it fair I get to push the baby out after hours of pain?"

"You were made to do that," Seth pushed himself up to his feet, one hand on the wall to keep from stumbling –his legs were numb after two hours spent on his knees worshiping the porcelain god, "I'm not sure I'm cut out for this, baby."

"Come on," she wrapped an arm around his waist, his own arm heavy across her shoulders as he emptied the cup of water, setting it down before letting her lead him out of the bathroom and into their bedroom, "You survived last time –besides, it'll just be until the second trimester."

"I know you're trying to be helpful and encouraging, but it's not working," he collapsed onto the bed, looking up at her with the little boy look she usually saw on Carlos' face whenever he wanted something or wasn't feeling well, "Maybe if you rub my feet…and my tummy?"

Chuckling, she dropped a kiss on his mouth, stroking her hand over his forehead as she pushed back his hair –he was in need of a haircut, "Let me go get you those crackers and ginger ale then I'll stay with you for a while, okay?"

"Are you gonna rub my tummy?"

"Yes, you big baby," Rose tugged at his ear before walking out of the room to the kitchen, hoping the morning sickness wouldn't last long because if one thing she had realized when she'd been pregnant with Carlos, her husband did not do well with being sick and miserable.

He tended to revert back to being a little kid in constant need of TLC –this time around it wasn't going to be as easy since she also had Carlos.

Guessed it was only fair to spoil him since he was being so wonderfully accommodating by saving her from the horribleness of morning sickness.

* * *

_Friday, February 13__th_

It was a beautiful day even though it was still cold and slightly wet but Vivi and Nika didn't let that stop them from heading to First Beach, the girls chatting happily about everything and anything, always having something to share with each other since they didn't go to the same school.

"He asked you to go with him?"

Nika nodded, a light blush hardly detectable under the copper hue of her skin, "I told him I'll ask Daddy. Since mom's going to be there and all, he said it would be okay."

They walked in silence, the cold air chaffing their cheeks, the sound of the crashing waves increasing the closer they got to the shore.

"You don't think it's a joke, do you," Nika looked sideways at Vivi, the vulnerability in her eyes causing Vivi's tender heart to squeeze as she kept talking, "Maybe his friends dared him or something –"

"Nika," Vivi took her hand and gave it a squeeze, the earnest sincerity in her words easing the worry over the whole strange situation, "Bradley would never do something like that –he's too nice of a guy to be deliberately cruel like that. I'm thinking he probably enjoyed the time at the county fair."

"We did talk some when we were stuck on the Ferris Wheel," Nika reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, the shy smile on her face making her look every prettier than usual, "He knows a lot about computers…and I made him laugh a couple of times."

Vivi grinned at her best friend, giving her hand another squeeze before letting it go, "There you go. I read in a magazine that guys like girls that make them laugh."

Nika giggled as she stuck her hands into the pockets of her hunter green coat, "What about you? Are you going?"

Vivi shrugged, her eyes dropping to the pebbled ground, "I don't know…no one's asked –"

"Hey Vivi!"

Looking over their shoulders, they turned as Gabe approached them on his motorized bike, Marc and the Uley twins close behind him in their own, the pebbles under the tires shifting as he slowed down, stopping a few feet from where they were standing.

Vivi blushed as she gave him a shy smile, "Hi Gabriel –I see your mom finally let you take out the bike."

Gabe grinned at her as he kept his kept his feet flat on the ground, his right hand holding on to the hand brake, "Yep. She said when I was twelve but didn't specify when during the year of my being twelve, which is why it's taken me this long to give it a spin."

Vivi and Nika laughed, Bailey shaking her head as she pushed off, steering the bike around them and towards the woods, the beginning of their modified track just some yards from where they were, "Are we gonna race, Gabe or are you planning on staying and gossiping with the girls?"

Gabe scowled at her but didn't say what was in his mind, instead turning to give Vivi a big smile, "I got us tickets for that dinner thing tomorrow. It starts at six so I'll swing by around five thirty and we can walk there –the center's only three streets down from your place."

"Oh," Vivi bit her bottom lip, looking sideways at her brother but Marc didn't say anything, simply scowled off at the distance as he kept his idling bike standing, "Uhm…okay. I'll see you then."

Gabe's grin spread wider, Marc rolling his eyes before a revved up his bike, driving on without saying anything to anyone, Brad giving Nika a smile before following after him.

"Sure thing," Gabe dug his toe into the pebbles, unable to look away from her blushing face, "I'll see you tomorrow then."

Vivi nodded, smiling as they kept staring into each other's eyes, the echo of Bailey's voice breaking into the moment, "Hurry the fuck up, Gabriel!"

Gabe gave her another one of those smiles meant just for her before kicking his bike into gear, the motor revving as he drove away, Vivi turning to watch him go.

"You shouldn't let him do that."

Vivi turned to look at Nika, confusion written all over her face, "Do what?"

"Tell you what to do," Nika shook her head as they reached the logs of driftwood positioned around a campfire ring, "He didn't even bother to ask and if you keep letting him take you for granted like that –"

"He doesn't take me for granted," Vivi pursed her lips, feeling slightly offended by what Nika was telling her.

"Oh really," Nika looked up at her as she sat down, knowing what she was saying may possibly make Vivi mad but it needed to be said, "So him assuming you didn't already have plans for tomorrow is what?"

Vivi crossed her arms over her chest, her jaw tight, "We agreed if either one of us was planning on seeing someone else, we'd tell each other…since I didn't tell him I was going with someone to the dinner tomorrow –"

"He still should have asked," Nika let out a soft sigh, dropping her dark brown eyes down to the pebbled ground, "And you should have told him so."

"Well, it doesn't bother me so it shouldn't bother you."

"Vivi," Nika gave her best friend a pleading look, "Don't be mad –"

"How can I not be mad," she dropped her arms down to her sides, hands fisted as she worked hard at not letting the threatening tears to escape, "You're basically saying I'm a pushover."

"When it comes to Gabriel –you are."


	59. Chapter 56

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: Made me sad to see I only got two reviews for the last chapter but I didn't let that stop me so here's the next one...maybe I can get more than two reviews for this one?**

**Kids ages as follows: Vivi, 13yrs old, 8thgrd/Emmie, 9yrs old, 7thgrd/Jillian, 2yrs old and as always, Gabe's is eighth grade and his age is next to the chapter**

**Enjoy as you read and please (don't make me beg) REVIEW!**

**Oh, right, before I forget -the song in the last scene was written by me, inspired by Lian Young and July Star. I believe Lian is the one singing the lyrics in parentheses while July sings the other lyrics not in parentheses.**

**Chapter Fifty-Six **_(12 yrs old) _**  
**_March 6__th_

Vivi started as a small folded square of paper landed on her notebook, quickly closing her hand over it to keep the teacher from seeing at as she turned to face the classroom, droning on and on about Washington's involvement in politics.

Keeping her eyes on the whiteboard filled with color coded details –Mrs. Smythe was one of those seriously organized people that always have a place for everything –she carefully unfolded the note, glancing over her shoulder at Gabriel but he wasn't looking at her, his pen moving across the notebook on his desk as he copied the notes on the blackboard.

Smoothing the paper over her notebook –she had already finished copying all of Mrs. Smythe's notes in her neat handwriting –she glanced down, the one sentence note written in Gabriel's uneven handwriting:

_Meet me First Beach 5PM_

Biting her bottom lip, she looked over at Gabriel again but he still wasn't looking her way. The sound of her name had her jerking her head around, trying her best not to look guilty as her eyes met the brown ones of her history teacher, "Yes Mrs. Smythe?"

"You seem to be distracted."

"No ma'am."

"Well, then," Mrs. Smythe gave her a tight lipped smile, placing her blue marker on the ledge of the board along with all the other colored markers, "Please explain to the class who Christine Gregoire, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are and why they are important?"

Vivi nodded, standing next to her desk –having been a teacher for over twenty years, Mrs. Smythe had certain rules that seemed old-fashioned but had to be followed nonetheless –shifting nervously as the rest of her classmates turned to look at her, "Christine Gregoire was elected in 2004 as governor which made Washington the first state to have a female governor along with two female senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell."

Mrs. Smythe nodded her permission for Vivi to sit down again, turning back to the board as she picked up on her lecture. The woman was very stingy with her approval, something that seemed to motivate her students to try hard at impressing her.

Folding Gabriel's note in half, she slipped it into the pages of her textbook, keeping her eyes on the teacher the entire time.

As the teacher kept talking about politics –occasionally calling on one student or another and asking them questions –Vivi struggled to keep herself focused on the topic at hand, her mind going back to the simple sentence scrawled in the middle of the creased paper, wondering what it was Gabriel was planning.

She knew Marc had baseball practice until dinner time at six thirty so he wasn't going to be a problem although he hadn't been as vocal about her time spent with Gabriel as he used to be. Not to say he still didn't advice her to be careful, telling her again and again how Gabriel was not good for her but he no longer got in the way.

Giving herself a mental nudge to pay attention, she picked up her pen, crossing her ankles as she tuned into Mrs. Smythe's words, reminding herself she still had two more classes to go before school let out.

No use getting called on in front of her classmates when she would find out what was going on later today.

With that in mind, she pushed the whole thing aside and just focused on learning about the history of Washington.

* * *

Gabe looked at the clock over the large kitchen window, "Is it done yet?"

Emily looked over her shoulder at him, a pastry tube in her hands, "Gabriel, if you want this to be perfect then you need to stop distracting me."

"It's just I'm supposed to be meeting her in fifteen minutes."

Emily chuckled as she turned her attention to the large strawberry flavored cupcake sitting on her counter, not saying anything as she carefully covered the top with white icing, twisting the top of the tube so the stiff frosting would twirl until she finished in the middle. Setting it aside, she picked up the tube with pink frosting, the tip a rounded flat edge that would give her a perfect round petal.

The sound of Gabe standing up didn't break her concentration as she carefully overlapped each petal over the other, the end result a five petal pink flower. Setting the tube aside, she picked up a tiny edible pearl and placed it in the center of the petal before taking a pinch of pink sprinkles and dropping them around the outer edge of the cupcake.

"There," Emily pleased smile with the end result made her eyes dance as she carefully set the cupcake into a cake box specifically sized for it, carefully closing the lid before turning to hand it to her nephew, placing a pink candle in his free hand along with a disposable lighter, "You still have five minutes. Be careful with that lighter, okay?"

"Yep," Gabe grinned at her, leaning in to give her cheek a kiss before heading towards the front door, "Thanks Emily! I owe you big time!"

"Yes you do!"

Gabe hurried off, making sure to keep the box steady as he ran-walked towards the beach, grateful his aunt's place was just some minutes away.

Reaching the outskirts of First Beach, he slowed down even though he knew he was already running late but he couldn't help wanting to enjoy the view stretched out before him.

The sun was slowly making its way into the ocean, the colors streaking across the clear blue sky –a breathtaking blend of gold, pink and orange. The sound of the crashing waves intensified as he got closer but what had him stop in his tracks was the sight of Vivi sitting on one of the driftwood logs, her back to him as she looked out at the ocean, the horizon dropping off into the nothingness beyond.

The red-gold color of her long hair seemed to hold the sunrays captive, giving them the opportunity to dance and twirl but never letting them go. Gabe sucked in his breath as she shifted, the simple movement fluid and graceful. Nothing she did, whether it was walking, dancing or simply smiling lacked the fluid grace she seemed to have woven into her very DNA.

Gabe loved watching Vivi move –to him, she was beauty personified. Hell, seeing her on stage for that ballet thing she did last week had squeezed his heart and taken his breath away –more than once.

Shaking his head, he moved forward, the soft shifting of pebbles under his feet having her look over her shoulder; her gold-brown eyes twinkled as she smiled at him, "Hi."

"Hey," Gabe straddled the log she was sitting on, setting the plain white box between them, "Sorry I'm late…I brought you something."

Vivi's smile was shy as she looked down at the white box, reaching out to finger a corner, "What is it?"

"Open it."

Vivi gave him another smile as she carefully lifted the top, her lips forming a cute little 'o' at the sight of the white and pink cupcake, "Gabriel…"

"Happy birthday," Gabe held up the pink candle he had in his hand, "I even brought a candle."

Vivi's smile grew as he placed the candle on the cupcake, leaving the pink flower in the center untouched. Giving him a teasing smile as he flicked the lighter on, she turned sideways to be face to face, "Are you going to sing happy birthday?"

Gabe grimaced as the candle's wick caught the flame, setting the lighter down on the log, "Do I have too?"

Vivi giggled as she looked down at her birthday cupcake, thinking it the most beautiful of all cakes she's had throughout the years, "No."

"Thanks," Gabe watched her, enjoying the way her cheeks were a soft pink, clearing his throat before he spoke again, "You do have to make a wish, though."

"Oh," Vivi chuckled softly as she looked up at him, gold-brown eyes meeting cool blue, her heart beating fast as she let herself fall into the warmth she saw in them.

Taking a deep breath, she looked down at the flickering flame of the candle, lifting the cupcake out of its box as she closed her eyes, making the same wish she had been making since her eighth birthday.

Blowing out the candle, she lowered her hands but before she could open her eyes, Gabe leaned into her space, the touch of his lips against hers setting off a swarm of butterflies in her stomach.

Gabe himself was experiencing a spike of adrenaline he normally only felt when he raced his bike. His eyes closed as the exhilaration rushed through him, his head tilting slightly to the side as her soft lips moved against his.

Reaching up to touch his fingers to her soft skin, his lips tugged slightly at the soft swell of her bottom lip, her own doing the same to his top lip, a strange sensation tugging at his lower abdomen. The burning ache of his lungs made him realize he was holding his breath so he slowly pulled back, opening his eyes.

The look on Vivi's face took his breath away –her cheeks were flushed, her eyes still closed and soft lips opened slightly as she took in a deep breath before opening her big gold-brown eyes, the dazed look in them making him smile as he slowly moved his thumb over her bottom lip, "Thought I could make one wish come true."

Vivi couldn't help smiling as she bit her bottom lip, the tip of Gabriel's thumb touching her teeth, "I think you've made all of them come true."

Gabe chuckled as he dropped his hand to his lap, feeling the heat climb up his neck, feeling glad his skin was dark enough to hide the awkward blush, "Go ahead and eat your cupcake –Aunt Emily made it."

Vivi's smile grew as she removed the candle, carefully setting it inside the cake box before peeling back a section of the wrapper and taking a bite, licking frosting off her bottom lip as she let out a little moan of appreciation, "Oh man…this is good. I'm telling you, I can't wait until Aunt Emily opens her bakery."

"You and everyone else in town," Gabe watched her as she carefully ate her cupcake, his stomach cramping in such a confusing way –it didn't hurt but it wasn't comfortable either, "Brad said one more month and the construction will be done."

Vivi nodded as she got through half of the large cupcake, the moist bread practically melting in her mouth along with the vanilla flavored icing, "I heard Aunt Rose tell your uncle Lian it would be a very good investment. Aunt Emily's baking is out of this world and since the closest bakery is in Port Angeles, she should be getting lots of business once she opens."

Gabe nodded as he watched her carefully place the other half of her cupcake into the cake box, "If you're done, I'll walk you home. I know Uncle Seth doesn't like it when you guys are late for dinner."

Vivi nodded as she slipped the lid's tabs into their corners, the box in both hands as she stood up, giving him a shy smile, "Thank you for this…it's the best birthday I've ever had."

Gabe stared down into her beautiful eyes, unable to keep himself from leaning in and kissing her again.

Vivi wished she wasn't holding the cake box, the desire to touch him strong but she didn't, instead tilted her head back to put a little more pressure on this second kiss, her heart beating hard against her ribs.

Pulling away, the tip of their noses brushed, her eyes bright as he smiled into them.

"Happy birthday, Vivi."

* * *

_April 4__th__  
Friday Afternoon_

Emmie wasn't having a good day –at all.

First of all, her trouble making brothers woke her up earlier than she was ready by slipping their gecko into bed with her. Now, she didn't mind the little cold-blooded reptile but when it wasn't yet time to wake up and the four legged critter skittered up her neck to get tangled in her hair, it wasn't at all the best way to be woken up.

Needless to say, she screamed bloody murder while Alyx and Andrey laughed their fool heads off, Tyra simply grumbling about the noise as she rolled over, not at all surprised over the morning activities nor caring about them.

It had gone from bad to worse as the day progressed.

As much as she loved school days and learning new things, today hadn't been her day –at all. Her English teacher had returned their essays, an A minus and a comment about how she tended to give too much detail penned in red on the last page. Then she had tripped over her own feet on the way up to the front of the classroom –everyone had laughed –to solve a simple algebraic solution per her teacher's request.

Lunch had been a lost cause –one of the stupid football jocks had squashed her Twinkie and taken her milk before Gabe showed up with Vivi at his side.

Really, the only saving grace of the whole day had been her biology class where they got to dissect a frog and identify all of its organs. Then again, being she wasn't allowed to use the dissecting implements because of her age, she had to work with one of the prissiest girls in her class who kept gagging the entire time.

Now, here she was in her kitchen, working on the science project she had due in two weeks.

Two months of research, which involved setting up a compost pit of fruits and vegetables in the forest –with a fence to keep the forest animals from eating her experiment – was now ending in this –a presentation plastered on a tri-fold board with the help of Mou. The topic itself –'The Life of a Fruit Fly' –was intriguing enough to get her first place at the science fair but it wasn't helping that Mou couldn't seem to comprehend her vision for what she wanted the entire presentation to look like.

"No," Emmie dropped her black marker, reaching across the kitchen table to take one of the letters he had drawn and cut out for her, "It's not right. This is not how I want them."

"Princess," Mou let out a quiet sigh as he set down the scissors, "This is the second set of letters you've had me do –I don't understand what's wrong with them."

"They need to be rounder," Emmie tossed the letter back onto the neat little pile he had made of them, "And with hexagons. Like it would look if you're looking from a fly's eyes."

"Princess –"

"They have to be just right," Emmie knew she was sounding like a whiny brat but she couldn't help herself, her usually easygoing personality left back in gym class when she'd smacked herself over the head with the stupid tennis racket –everyone had laughed at her, even the gym coach, "Do them again."

"Emmie –"

"Did I just hear you tell Embry what to do?"

Emmie looked up into her father's serious blue eyes, wondering when he had come into the kitchen from track practice.

Her bottom lip poking out in a pout, she gave him a baleful look, "He's not doing them right."

Rick cocked an eyebrow at her as he placed his briefcase on the counter beside the phone, dropping his gym bag just inside the door into the laundry room, "He's taking time out of his schedule to help you with _your _project –you are not to boss him around."

"I don't mind."

Rick looked over at Embry, his face impassive but the seriousness in his answer letting him know he meant business, "I mind."

Emmie looked down at the glossy pictures she was organizing and labeling, petulantly mumbling under her breath, "He's mine so I can tell him what to do."

Unfortunately for Emmie, her father's sharp hearing picked up on what she had said, his jaw tight as he looked at her, "Go to your room –now."

Emmie looked up at him with open mouthed shock, "But my project isn't done!"

"You'll get it done once Embry leaves."

"No," Emmie yelled, climbing up onto her seat to be closer to her father's height before stomping her foot to make her point, "He's helping me –he's not going anywhere!"

"You, young lady, will learn to be respectful," Rick lifted her off the chair, managing to keep her kicking feet from connecting with any important body parts, "You will not boss Embry around –he's an adult and you're a child."

"But he's mine," Emmie yelled as Rick headed down the hall, wiggling in his arms in an effort to get free but didn't succeed, attempting her escape again when he set her down on her bed but he was too quick for her, "Let me go!"

"I don't think so," Rick lifted her and sat her back on the bed, "You're going to stay right there until you learn how to be respectful."

Emmie looked up at him, blue eyes filling up with tears as she crossed her arms over her chest, her voice filled with accusation, "You're mean!"

"That may be so but I'm not changing my mind."

"Rick –"

Rick turned to look at Embry, who was standing at the bedroom's doorway, the look on his face pained as he watched Emmie's tears roll down her face, "Leave, now. You are not to come back until I tell you too."

Embry's eyes widened as Emmie let out a loud sob, the usually easy going nine year old standing on her bed and slapping her small hands against her father's chest as she yelled out, "No! You can't make him go! I won't let you!"

Grabbing her wrists in his hands and making sure he didn't hurt her, Rick turned her around, holding her against him to keep his struggling daughter from hurting herself as he spoke to Embry, "Outside, now. I'll talk to you when I'm done here."

"Rick –"

"Go, now."

"No!" Emmie kept struggling to break away, her glasses slipping off her nose and falling to the bed as she let out a choking sob, "I don't want him to go!"

It was written all over his face, the struggle he was feeling between listening to Rick and his imprint's demands but in the end, Rick made it easy for him by putting the weight of the Alpha command behind his last words.

"Leave –now!"

He turned away, the sharp pain streaking through his chest not easy to handle along with Emmie's sobs but he knew he couldn't step in the way he wanted too –she was Rick's daughter which at this point trumped everything else.

The last thing he heard before closing the front door behind him was Emmie's voice, high pitched and slightly choked with tears, "I hate you!"

He stayed outside, working through the roiling emotions he was feeling, the sound of his Princess' crying exacerbating them but he stayed put in one of the Adirondack chairs Rick had made for their front porch.

An hour passed before the front door opened, Rick walking out quietly, leaving the door opened slightly before sitting down in the free chair with a heavy sigh.

"Is she okay?"

Rick nodded, leaning forward until his elbows were resting on his thighs, his hands buried in his sandy blond hair, "She tired herself out and fell asleep."

Embry nodded, he himself sitting in a similar position, his hands hanging between his knees, "What about you?"

Rick let out a humorless chuckle, "About as well as I can be after hearing my daughter say she hates me."

"Rick," Embry let out a heavy breath as he looked over at his Alpha, "She didn't mean it. She's having a bad day and honestly, I don't mind."

Rick knew what he was referring too and although it was going to be hard for Embry and his daughter –subsequently himself as well as the rest of their family –he couldn't see any other solution, "I will not put up with her attitude, Embry. You're an adult and she will treat you with respect."

"Rick, it doesn't happen all –"

"No," Rick shook his head, knowing Embry was about to lie for the sake of defending Emmie, "I know this is not the first time she's bossed you around, it just happens to be the first time I've caught her doing it. I don't know why you let her but I do know I'm putting a stop to it."

Taking a deep breath, Embry asked the dreaded question, "What are you going to do?"

"As long as she keeps acting like a spoiled brat, she won't be seeing you," Rick leaned back into the chair, the rockers tilting it back as he stretched out his long legs, feeling suddenly tired, "I know it won't be easy for either of you but she has to learn somehow and quite frankly, you're my bargaining chip."

Embry closed his eyes, letting his chin drop to his chest but he didn't say anything. Rick watched the slumped shoulders, feeling bad but not guilty –he was only doing what was best for his daughter at this time, "Embry, I'm sorry but…there's no way I'm going to let her behave that way. If I don't stop it now, it'll only get worse and to be honest, I should have put a stop to it much sooner. She's getting controlling when it comes to you and I don't like that."

Embry let out a soft scoff as he looked up at his Alpha, "She does own me so what's the problem?"

Rick's jaw tightened, several seconds passing before he shoved himself to his feet, "No, Embry –she does not own you. You may have imprinted on her but that doesn't mean you're property. You have a life of your own and quite frankly, I think it's time you start living it."

"What?"

The blank look on Embry's face worked well to drain the anger Rick was feeling, "While you're on exile, as I'm sure you're thinking of this, get out –meet people. Have some fun, for fuck's sake."

Embry's eyebrows rose in surprise, having never heard Rick curse before, his dark brown eyes still confused, "Meet people?"

"Yes, Embry," Rick shook his head as he moved across the porch, listening to the sound of the wind brushing the top of the trees, the far off crashing waves in harmony with the music of nature, "Meet people. Go on a date, hang out with the guys…spend time alone. There's more to life than catering to Emmie's needs and wants –"

"That's all I want out of my life."

"Yeah, well," Rick turned to look at him, his mind made up, "That's what's going to ruin my daughter's life. She's already got her intelligence setting her apart –I don't think an egoistic attitude is necessary. Do you?"

* * *

_April 8__th__  
Seattle_

She was sitting cross-legged in the middle of their one and only couch, books and papers spread around her, some having fallen to the carpeted floor, others in piles on the coffee table before her, the screen of her laptop computer lit up with a blank video chat box.

It was her niece's second birthday and she had arranged video time with her sister, who was currently in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband, daughter and their band. Due to the time difference, she still had a ways to wait so while she did, she reviewed her case files, occasionally gnawing on her bottom lip as she made notations, every once in a while consulting the medical textbooks she had acquired throughout college and medical school.

Collin was still at the hospital, halfway through his shift. Meanwhile, she had come up on the pediatrics emergency rotation and was placed on call, which was why she was wearing one of her scrub tops with her black volleyball shorts, socks on her feet. Draped across the chair near the front door were her bottoms and messenger bag, her slip-on Vans beside the door, everything set and ready to go if her beeper went off but so far, it had been a quiet night so she busied herself with some of her more complicated cases.

A _ding-ding_ caught her attention and Lyn couldn't keep the smile from breaking out as she set her legal pad and patient chart to the side, leaning forward to take the laptop and place it on her lap before clicking OK when asked if she wanted to accept the video call.

"Lyn! Oh, good, I didn't miss you!"

Lyn grinned at her sister, shifting to get more comfortable in her spot, "I still have several hours to go but so far, it seems like there's no emergencies involving kids here in Seattle."

"That's great," Julie grinned at her sister as she snuggled into the corner of a maroon colored plush couch, "I was going to wait until we got back to our hotel room but the band's gotten a second wind and we only have the studio for another day so they wanted to finish the new CD we're working on."

"A new CD? Yours or Lian's?"

"Both," Julie smiled as the sounds of music being made were heard in the background, "We're calling it _Sying_."

Lyn's face softened even more as she blinked back tears, "Let me guess –all those lullaby songs you and Lian started writing after she was born?"

Julie's smile spread into a grin as she nodded, shifting as the music stopped, only to start up again, a faint squeal followed by a chorus of laughter as the music stopped, "Natalie walked in on us after the concert in Florida. Jillian had been running a mild fever all day and she was fussing when we finished sometime before one in the morning. Lian got her to sleep singing that blues one he wrote –Rock Me. Natalie came into the dressing room halfway through the song and fell in love with it."

Lyn nodded but didn't comment –she had mixed feelings about Natalie, to be honest. Yeah, the woman was accommodating with Lian and Julie's situation but Lyn was sure Natalie loved the lullabies Julie and Lian had composed specifically for their daughter due to one very important factor –the sales and awards they would receive, indirectly skyrocketing the label into one of the best in the business, "So can I see my niece to say happy birthday?"

"She's a bit busy…" Julie's smile turned a little mischievous as she shifted in the couch to stand up, the iPad she had bought –much easier to carry around than a laptop –in her hands, "Here, let me show you."

The screen blurred before it focused, Lyn letting out a laugh at the sight greeting her. There was the band playing in the sound booth, obvious enjoyment on their faces as they all focused on the sole occupant in the middle of the floor –her niece.

She was still as small as Lyn remembered, wearing a bright pink miniature poodle skirt along with little bitty saddle shoes and ankle socks, the white t-shirt she had on sporting pink and black polka dotted letters that spelled out '_Rockin' with the Band'_. Her dark hair was a soft cloud of curls around her china doll face but the most beautiful thing she wore was a big bright smile as she bobbed and bounced, clapping her hands and turning in a circle as she wiggled her bottom.

"Oh goodness gracious," Lyn quickly clicked the _record video_ button, wanting to show this to Collin when he got home from work, "Look at her!"

Julie's laugh came through but she didn't move the screen shot, letting Lyn enjoy watching her niece as she danced to the music being played by the band, "She loves being the center of attention –especially the band's attention."

"The sound in such a small enclosure could affect her hearing," Lyn cautioned, even though she loved the sight of her niece dancing –the little girl was oblivious to anything other than the music and how it made her want to move.

"She's wearing ear plugs so it muffles the volume of the instruments," Julie told her sister, knowing the comment came from her concern as a pediatrician as well as her daughter's aunt, "She doesn't like them but she knows she's not allowed into the sound room without them."

"Wherever did you get her shirt?"

"Micah –our drummer –got it specially made for her. You need to see her growing collection of t-shirts, Lyn –the guys spoil her rotten. It's truly a miracle she's not turning into a little diva."

Lyn laughed as Jillian hopped over to the drums, patting her little hand against the screen of the bass drum, "Give her time. What's she doing?"

"She's telling Micah he needs more bass," Julie's voice was full of laughter as she watched her baby girl giving Micah a pleased nod, bobbing her little head as he added the constant thump-thump of the kick drum to the song they were currently playing, "She has an ear for music, Lyn…it's amazing, really, to watch her. Whenever one of the guys hits a sour note, she scrunches up her little nose and shakes her finger at them. She'll scowl at them until they start from the beginning and when it gets close to the part they messed up, she'll stand still, won't blink her eyes until they get pass it correctly then she'll go back to dancing."

"You got yourself a prodigy, sis," Lyn grinned as her niece threw her arms up in the air, spinning around a couple of times before she got dizzy and fell on her bottom but even the surprise of it didn't wipe the big smile on her face, "She got any preference for instruments?"

"She loves the drums," Julie's voice wavered slightly as the sound of a door opening and closing sounded in the background, "Micah's supposedly giving her lessons –she bangs away while he keeps time with the kick drum."

"Who you talkin' to, baby?"

Lyn's smile spread wider at the sound of her brother-in-law's voice, the video wobbling slightly and she knew he was probably hugging and kissing her sister, "Lian, stop mauling my sister."

A few seconds later Lian turned the iPad towards him, "She likes it when I maul her. How you doin', Lyn?"

"I'm on call so that means I can't really relax," Lyn stopped the video recording, grinning at the sound of a high pitched squeal, "What's got your daughter so excited?"

"She just spotted me," Lian grinned as he handed the iPad back to Julie, giving her a smooching kiss on the lips before opening the sound room door, lifting his waiting baby girl up into the air, "How's my baby star doing?"

Jillian giggled as he brought her down and placed nibbling kisses into her little neck, "Daddy! Sing! Sing!"

"Aw, baby," Lian settled her on his arm, turning towards Julie and pulling her into his side, Lyn smiling at the tender picture of the little family, "Your aunt wants to see you first."

Jillian grinned as she patted the iPad's screen with her tiny hand, "Sing, at! Sing!"

Lyn laughed as she studied her beautiful face, not seeing any changes since they left almost a year ago, "What do you want me to sing to you, Jill? Happy birthday?"

"Uh-hu," she nodded, resting her head on her father's shoulder as she reached out to grasp a handful of her mother's hair, "Sing, at."

Lyn felt a little silly but she sang anyway, her husband's voice joining her in the second line as he closed their apartment door, dropping his bag and kicking off his shoes before he moved across their small living room to sit next to her, Jillian letting out a happy squeal at the sight of her 'funny' uncle.

"You two make a decent duet," Lian complimented once they finished the last line, his baby clapping her hands with obvious enthusiasm, "More than decent, apparently. Jillian likes nothing but the best when it comes to music –perhaps you two are in the wrong vocation."

Collin and Lyn looked at each other before turning to look at the screen, answering in unison, "Nah."

Everyone laughed, Jillian turning to look at her father again, patting his cheeks with her tiny hands, "Now you. Sing, Daddy."

"Alright then," Lian placed a kiss on her upturned nose, giving Julie's waist a squeeze before looking over at Sammy, their sound engineer. They had flown her in from New York because she was the best of the best and they all enjoyed working with her, "Hey, Sammy, think you can hold the iPad while July and I sing?"

"Well, considering you're going to be singing to my little star, I will be delighted," Sammy's accent was customary of New Yorkers, the screen blurring again before settling, not as clear due to the glass before the camera.

Julie and Lian entered the sound room, Jillian staying in his arms as he nodded and spoke with the band, Julie moving across the room to pick up her guitar.

"I'm gonna filter the sound so you can hear them," Sammy's voice informed them as she did her thing, the sound suddenly appearing as Sammy did something else, lowering the volume so it wouldn't have any feedback, "This is one of their latest ones –they echo two sets of verses during the song, each with their own harmony but it's the melody and chorus that puts it all together. Jillian loves it."

Lyn pressed the record button as Lian placed Jillian down on the floor before taking his own guitar and sitting on the stool, facing Julie, each with a standing microphone.

"Alright, guys, let's do this," Lian nodded towards Micah, who started them off with a simple bass, Jillian looking up at her parents as they started playing two different, yet complimenting, harmonies, both looking down at Jillian when they each began to sing their own verses to the song.

_Once upon a star  
(I wish, I wish, I wish)_

_I will find my love  
(Oh when, oh when, oh when)_

_In the crowded streets at night  
(Oh where are you, baby?)_

_Soaking in the morning sun  
(I can feel you near my heart)_

_I search high and low  
(Come to me, oh baby, please)_

_Will never stop lookin'  
(Here, there, everywhere)_

_Baby  
There's nothing I wouldn't do for you  
Nothing I wouldn't give  
So baby please  
Don't forget –please, don't forget  
How much I love you  
(How much I love you)  
Don't forget, baby, don't forget  
(Don't forget)  
I'll always find you_

_Too far off lands I go  
(Can you hear my voice?)_

_I search every face  
(I can see your eyes)_

_Everywhere I go, I look for you  
(Your touch is all I seek)_

_At night, during the day, no matter when  
(Talk to me, baby, please)_

_There's nowhere I wouldn't search  
(Tell me what you need)_

_I'm gonna find you, baby  
(Please believe in me)_

_Baby  
There's nothing I wouldn't do for you  
Nothing I wouldn't give  
So baby please  
Don't forget –please, don't forget  
How much I love you  
(How much I love you)  
Don't forget, baby, don't forget  
(Don't forget)  
I'll always find you_

_Once upon a star  
(I will find my love)_

_In the crowded streets at night  
(Soaking in the morning sun)_

_I search high and low  
(Will never stop lookin')_

_Too far off lands I go  
(I search every face)_

_Everywhere I go, I look for you  
(At night, during the day, no matter when)_

_There's nowhere I wouldn't search  
(I'm gonna find you, baby)_

_Don't forget, baby, don't forget  
(Don't forget)  
How much (How much) I love you_

Lyn sniffed back a tear, snuggling into Collin's side as the music faded away, little Jillian clapping her little hands from where she sat, Lian and Julie grinning down at her in complete adoration along with the members of the band.

There was no doubt two year old Jillian was the center of their universe.


	60. Chapter 57 Part 1

**All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.**

**This story follows right after **_When I'm Gone_: _Third Installment to GONE Saga, _**so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.**

**The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12****th**** and will progress from there.**

**AN: I was going to do one long chapter but when I realized how long it was going to end up being, I decided to split it into two parts, once again. Hope you enjoy!**

**Ages: Carlos -3yrs: Vivi, 13yrs: Marc, 15yrs: Brad, 14yrs: Nika, 12yrs: Bailey, 14yrs: Emmie, 10yrs: Zak, 8yrs: Erick, 6m: Xavier, 2yrs and as always, Gabe's age is next to the chapter. If I missed anyone, the Family Tree Chapter has been updated.**

**Enjoy as you read and please, review! The amount of reviews correlates with how soon I update**

**Chapter Fifty-Seven Part 1 **_(13yrs old)  
Th__ird Week of May_

The early morning sunlight filtered through the sheer light blue curtains, the room filled with the fresh smell of damp earth and sea salt.

Rose was feeling pleasantly lazy with no desire to get out of bed to start the day, which seemed fine with Seth as he returned from the bathroom, the basketball shorts he wore riding low on his hips as he crawled onto their king size bed, laying on his side, back to her, as he rested his head on her chest, the slight curve of her baby belly snug against his lower back.

Rose pressed a kiss onto his cheek, sliding her fingers through his hair as she rubbed slow circles against his flat stomach with her other hand, "How are you feeling?"

"Pathetic," Seth closed his eyes with a sigh, relaxing into her as she slowly placed a string of kisses up and down his bare shoulder, "I don't know if I'm getting used to puking my guts out or if it's starting to go away, but it wasn't as bad as usual…just bad enough to make me feel lousy."

"Poor baby," Rose placed a kiss behind his ear, a shiver running down his back but he was too exhausted to do more than just enjoy the intimacy between them, "Would you like me to bring you some crackers?"

Seth's head moved in the negative, "No…I don't want you to stop rubbing my tummy."

He felt more than heard the soft chuckle, his own lips stretching into a smile as he tilted his head back to look into her hazel eyes, "I don't know why Dr. Lodhi refused to give me anti-nausea medication –"

"Because she's my doctor, Seth. Not yours."

"You could have said yes when she asked if you were experiencing morning sickness then given me the damn pills."

She hid her smile in his hair, finding him so damn cute and adorable with his bottom lip sticking out in a pout, "It would have been wrong to lie…"

Seth huffed but didn't disagree with her, instead turned his head as he closed his eyes, his voice low as he changed the subject, "We're in for one busy summer, baby."

"Mhm," Rose kept running her fingers through his hair, her thumb stroking over his forehead as she looked out the window across the room where their bed was, the clear blue sky promising a beautiful day, "Miss Trinity offered Vivi and Nika an opportunity for them to practice with the Pacific Northwest Company up in Seattle –that means driving them there and back three times a week and every other Saturday throughout the summer break."

"Brad and Marc are all set for their two weeks at Dry Hill," Seth yawned as he burrowed his head against her chest, wishing he could just melt into her, "And I've still gotta talk to Leah about the surfing competition in California for Zak."

"You think she'll let him? She said no to Gabe concerning the bike race."

"Thing is, Zak never asks for anything so that may sway her into saying yes," Seth rolled onto his back, sliding his arm under Rose to pull her into his side, his lips brushing against her forehead, "And Gabe's resigned himself to staying behind and spending more time with Vivi without Marc breathing down his neck."

Rose laughed, settling her head on his chest as she closed her eyes, the soothing sound of his steady heartbeat lulling her into an even more relaxed state, "Emily said Bailey is doing cheer camp instead of going to Dry Hill with Brad and Marc."

"I still can't believe Bailey joined the cheerleading team," Seth slid his fingers down her bare back, the white cotton sheet tucked under her arms the only thing she wore at the moment, "She's a tomboy through and through –cheerleading camp...she's gonna end up killing someone, if not herself."

"I think she'll be okay," tilting her head back, she gave him a sweet smile as he kissed the tip of her nose, "I heard Embry mention a science camp up in Auburn to Leah –she's certain he'll volunteer to help just so he could get to see Emmie."

"Yeah…poor guy's miserable," Seth moved his mouth down her jaw, softly sucking at the spot behind her ear, "It's been a month since Rick banished him –"

"You're making Rick sound like an ogre," Rose moved her hand across his chest, gently raking her nails over his flat nipples, "He has a valid reason and quite frankly, I think it's necessary as well."

"I love you, baby, but I don't think you or Rick understand how painful it is for us to be away from our imprints," Seth buried his face into her hair, breathing in her scent which went straight to his head they way it always did, his body shuddering at the memory of those two years in Alaska without her.

Rose didn't respond even though it had been his decision, not hers, she just didn't want to bring up old hurts, deciding to change the subject as she kissed his throat, "Seth?"

"Yeah baby."

"We're going to need a room for Carlos soon," she looked over her shoulder at their two year old sprawled in his crib, the soft blue blanket she had covered him with kicked off as he slept –she knew it would be another thirty minutes or so before he began to stir, "I was thinking we could turn the dark room –"

"No," Seth reached up to cup her face, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip as he turned her face to look into her eyes, "I don't want you giving up your darkroom. The office –"

"I don't want you giving up your office," Rose stated with the same no nonsense tone he had used, nipping the pad of his thumb with a smile as his brown-green eyes grew darker, "So what do we do?"

"Well," Seth slid his hand into her hair, pulling her head back as he dipped his to press an open mouthed kiss on her smiling lips, "Marc offered to share his room with Carlos. I think, once this one's born, it'll be two or three years before she needs a room and by then, Marc should be heading off to college."

"She?"

He pulled back to give her a look of affront, "Yeah, she. That way, we'll have one of each and I won't have to go through the hell of morning sickness ever again."

* * *

_Sunday, Second Week of June  
Dry Hill Racetrack  
Port Angeles, WA_

The excitement was palpable, practically throbbing in the air as people ambled about in the campgrounds outside of the racetracks.

Brad and Marc were working hard at not squealing like little girls as Seth parked the rented RV into their designated space, Embry sitting quietly in the passenger seat. When Seth had found out Marc and Brad wanted to stay the entire two weeks, he'd invited Embry along for the company, figuring his friend could use something to distract him from the morose loneliness of not seeing his imprint.

The roar of dirt bikes and voices accompanied by laughter and loud conversations greeted the two boys as they stepped out of the RV once Seth had come to a complete stop, their eyes wide as they tried to take in everything at once.

"Dude," Brad slapped the back of his hand against Marc's arm to get his attention as he pointed, "Check that out!"

Seth chuckled as the boys exclaimed over one bike then another, the excitement hanging in the air rubbing off on both of them, "Okay, guys, let's get the RV hooked up then registration opens up in two hours."

"The packet they send us stated there would be practice time slots today and tomorrow before the races start on Tuesday," Marc followed after his uncle, Embry already working on hooking up the water and gas lines onto the offered ports in the RV park site, "We have to be at the front of the line for registration to get the optimum times."

"Are you trying to ask me something," Seth dropped down on the ground behind the RV, moving under the somewhat large recreational vehicle to connect the sewer hook-up into the one on the ground, double checking the latches to make sure it didn't come loose and make a mess.

"Well," Marc looked over at Brad but he wasn't paying attention to anything Marc was saying as he watched a couple of girls walk by, both of them wearing denim short shorts with teeny tiny t-shirts, "Can we head over to registration now? There's probably already a line and besides, with Embry here, you really don't need us to set stuff up, right?"

Scooting out from under the RV, he slapped the dirt out of his jeans once he stood up, "Let me get your bikes out while you go get your paperwork. We'll meet you there once we're done."

"Thanks Uncle Seth," Marc lunged forward to give him a hug, pulling back at the last minute as he realized he was fifteen and in the presence of very cute girls –he shouldn't be hugging adults, especially not his uncle, "Uhm, I mean…you totally rock."

Seth laughed, reaching out to tousle his nephew's dark hair despite the protests coming from the teenage boy, "Yeah, just not enough for a hug, uh?"

"You're a guy," Marc pushed his uncle's arm away, reaching up to fix his hair, which really just consisted of finger combing it the opposite way from where it had ended up, "No teenage boy should be hugging guys –not their dads, uncles, brothers, cousins…or friends. Only grandpas but that's because they're old so they don't really count."

"Don't let Charlie hear you say that," Seth teased as he moved around the blue and gray vehicle, opening the hatch where the luggage normally went, revealing two carefully stored and covered motorized dirt bikes, "So from what you're saying, if Leah were the one here, you wouldn't have shied away from her like she had leprosy?"

Marc's grin was slightly sheepish as he helped his uncle pull out his black and silver bike, "Not the same thing –heck, the guys at school think Aunt Leah's hot."

Seth laughed as he pulled out Brad's bike, the boy currently talking to another kid, this one a tall gangly redheaded boy with short spiky hair wearing an all black outfit, "I'm sure Gabriel's friends have made a comment or two considering the occasional bruised knuckles he comes home with."

"You have no idea," Marc rolled his eyes as he watched a couple of older women from the site to their left –moms more like it –looking their way as Embry came out of the RV with a couple of lawn chairs, "And it's not just Aunt Leah. I had to punch my friend Dusty when he made a comment concerning Tia Rosa."

Seth's smile slipped as he closed the hatch and locked it, placing his hands on his hips, "You tell that kid he ever looks at your aunt again, I'll make him disappear."

Marc grinned as he kicked the bike stand in place, "Oh, don't worry. I know how to intimidate guys checking out my aunt…and my sister. Well, except for Gabriel…little bastard is too stupid to be intimidated."

"I wouldn't say stupid," Seth defended his nephew, catching the cold can of beer Embry threw his way once he came out of the RV with the cooler, setting it between two of the lawn chairs, "You can't intimidate a Clearwater."

"No offense, Uncle Seth but he's a Laskaris."

Seth grinned down at Marc as he popped the beer open, "You can't intimidate them either."

"Don't I know it," Marc shook his head as he moved to head into the RV, coming back out with a legal sized envelope containing both his and Brad's registration paperwork, "Yo, Brad! Let's get going!"

Brad looked over his shoulder, giving Marc a chin up in acknowledgement before turning to say something to the redheaded boy then crossing the short distance to grab his bike –all bikes had to be inspected upon registration, "See ya later Dalton."

"Yeah, dude."

Marc and Brad waved to Seth and Embry before taking off, their bikes at a slow speed as they followed the dirt paths to where the registration tent was set up.

Sure enough, when they arrived at the registration tent, there was already a line forming, Marc and Brad letting out a groan even though it wasn't as long as Marc had feared.

Shutting the bikes off to conserve energy, they queued up, a couple of girls lining up behind them as people of all ages walked around the campground, a fine dust hanging in the air.

"How was your date with Nika?"

Brad looked over at Marc as he shrugged, still sitting on his bike, his legs stretched out with his forearms resting on the handlebars, "It was okay, I guess. Uncle Jared dropped us off at the movie theater. We went to the burger joint across the street afterwards before calling my dad to pick us up."

Marc nodded, looking down at his watch to see how much longer they had to wait, "You two have been on three dates since the Valentine dinner."

"Yeah, so?"

"I thought you didn't like her."

Brad's eyebrows lowered as he looked over at Marc, "I don't not like her…I just know she has a crush on me and didn't want to encourage her."

"I think three dates is encouraging her," Marc smirked as he sat back on his bike's custom seat, stretching his arms up over his head, "Don't you?"

Brad let out a heavy sigh as he straightened up, running his fingers through his hair, "Some of the guys at school have been ragging me about not liking girls."

"What," Marc looked over at Brad with a cocked eyebrow, "They think you're gay?"

Brad rolled his eyes but didn't say anything, instead looked over his shoulder to check out the rest of the line, one of the girls behind them giving him a flirty smile.

"You know, using Nika as a cover isn't very nice of you."

Brad scowled at Marc, his jaw tight, "I'm not gay. I just don't have any interest in girls at the moment –hell, I'm only fourteen. What the fuck am I supposed to do with a girl, uh?"

Marc laughed as activity at the registration tent got people's attention, the buzzing excitement increasing and rippling down the line, "What do you do with Nika on your dates?"

"We talk," he shrugged a single shoulder as he stood up, hands on the handlebars to keep the bike from tipping over, "She's actually kind of funny –oh, did you know she likes riding skateboards?"

"No fucking way! She and Vivi are like, total ballerina prima donnas."

Brad laughed as he shook his head, "She doesn't have a board of her own but Ian lets her use his –she even knows some tricks. I'm thinking maybe taking her to the skate park when we get back home."

"A fourth date, uh?"

"Oh, shut the fuck up," Brad punched Marc's arm with enough vigor to make it hurt, "Usually, I have nothing to say to girls –all they want to talk about is shopping and shit but Nika…she's cool. She not only knows boards and how to use them but she's also into computers."

"I'm pretty sure she lied about that since she knows you're into computers."

"No," Brad shook his head, quickly rising up to his new friend's defense, "She's into the software and programming, not the building, but she does know computers. She's a fun person to hang around with."

"A _fun_ _girl_," Marc smirked, dodging at Brad's swing to the back of his head, "You know, talking about computers and skateboarding is not what you do with _fun_ girls on dates."

"Oh," Brad got an evil glint in his dark brown eyes, "I suppose feeling them up and getting caught is the way to go, uh? That way, they get the opportunity to get shipped off to an all girls' boarding school, right?"

"Fuck you."

Brad laughed, pushing his bike forward as the line started to move, "That's what I thought."

* * *

_Back in La Push_

It was a beautiful morning, the sun making its way up a clear blue sky, a cool breeze moving through the treetops of the forest as the ocean beat a steady rhythm against the pebbled surf.

Gabe whistled under his breath as he bounded down the stairs, not able or caring to keep the buoyancy over the freedom he was feeling concerning his plans for the day from showing.

Shrugging to adjust his new t-shirt –a washed out blue with the American Eagle logo on the upper left side of the soft cotton –so it would fit right over his shoulders, he headed down the hallway and turned into the kitchen, the smells of bacon, waffles and scrambled eggs making his mouth water.

He crossed the kitchen to kiss his mama's cheek, taking the plate heaped with breakfast food she held out for him, "Thanks mama. It smells delicious."

He grinned at her before going to the table, setting his plate down at one of the empty spots, two of the four chairs already taken by Zak and Emmie, Xavier and Erick sitting on their high chairs, the latter happily kicking his feet as he waited for mama to bring his breakfast of rice cereal while the former quietly placed blueberries and dry cheerios –one at a time, mind you –into his mouth, big blue eyes studying his older siblings.

Tyra and the twins were not morning people so they did breakfast on the second shift with Dad who also slept in during the summer break.

"Why are you so cheery this morning," Emmie asked as she picked up her glass of milk, her blue eyes studying him across the table over the rim of the glass.

"It's a nice day," Gabe slathered his pancakes with maple syrup, taking a spoonful of salsa and dropping it over his eggs, "It's breezy and the sky's clear without a cloud in sight."

"Good day for surfing," Zak stated in his quiet voice as he pushed the orange juice towards his older brother, taking the small bowl of homemade salsa to add more to his scrambled eggs.

"Or racing," Gabe quipped as he cut into his pancakes, Xavier smiling up at mama as she placed another handful of blueberries on his tray, "But I'm not taking my bike out today."

"So what are you doing today," mama asked as she sat down with her own breakfast, already having finished prepping what she was going to need to make breakfast again for her late sleepers, Erick's rice cereal in a small container next to her plate.

"Gonna go pick up Vivi and take her to the ice cream shop."

"It's a little early for ice cream, don't you think?"

Gabe rolled his eyes at Emmie's snooty tone, knowing his sister's constant change of attitude from sweet and cooperative to downright brat concerned her and not him, "For your information, the ice cream shop is now selling burgers and stuff. We're gonna have lunch there."

Emmie wrinkled her nose at him but didn't say anything, instead went back to picking at her breakfast, unable to put any more food into her tummy.

"Any other plans for today I need to know about," mama asked as she picked up the rice cereal, plopping a spoonful of it into Erick's eager mouth, her baby humming happily as he smacked his lips and swallowed, opening for more.

"I want to go surfing," Zak stated as he finished his eggs, picking up his glass of milk and finishing it in a few gulps.

"Your Uncle Seth's not here, baby," mama looked over at him, smiling as he gave her that sweet serious look with a milk mustache over his top lip, "I'm not comfortable with you surfing on your own."

"Uncle Lian said I could call while Uncle Seth was away," Zak picked up his napkin, wiping his mouth and hands, "Aunt Julie's willing to go with me."

"Well, then," mama smiled and Gabe knew she was going to give in –it was almost impossible for anyone to say no to Zak, simply because his little brother never asked for anything and when he did, he didn't demand or whined about it, "If Julie doesn't have any other plans for today, then yes, you can go surfing."

Zak gave her his sweet smile as thanks, having already used his quota of words for the day. He pushed his chair back as he cleared his spot on the table, the tall eight year old rinsing his plate and cup before placing it all into the dishwasher without being told.

"What about you, Emmie," mama looked over at her oldest daughter, feeling a twinge of empathy for her little girl as she pushed her scrambled eggs around her plate, "Any plans for today."

Emmie shrugged as she reached up to tuck a hank of her hair behind an ear, "I have to go check the garden over at Embry's house. Daddy won't mind, will he? Embry's with Uncle Seth so I won't see him."

Gabe internally winced at the hint of pain in his sister's words, knowing Embry was going to be surprised –and probably not the good kind of surprised –whenever he got to see Emmie again and found out she no longer called him Mou.

He wasn't sure why she had stopped calling him that but he knew it happened when Dad had banned Embry from their house. Sometimes, Gabe wondered if the reason why was because Emmie was mad at Embry for listening to their Dad instead of her.

"That's fine, baby," mama reached over to cup his sister's face in her hand, rubbing her thumb over Emmie's cheek, "Would you like to go to the store and buy seeds?"

Emmie shrugged again, "Once I check the garden, I'll know if I am going to need any."

"Alright then," mama scraped at the last of the rice cereal and plopped it into Erick's opened mouth, "If you're all done, please clear the table. Gabe, I want you home by four, okay?"

"Okay, mama," Gabe nodded, scooping the last of his eggs into his mouth, still chewing as he took his plate, glass and utensils to the sink, rinsing them out and placing them in the dishwasher, doing the same with Emmie's once she scraped her uneaten breakfast into the trash bin.

"Thank you," Emmie gave him a small smile before turning and heading out of the kitchen through the back door, the ten year old not as verbose and joyful as she had once been.

"I really think Dad ought to think over this whole Embry banishment thing," Gabe commented to his mom as he returned to the table to wipe all the placemats, taking Xavier's empty bowl and setting it in the dishwasher once it was rinsed. He then proceeded to help his two year old brother out of the high chair, "It's not doing Emmie any good, if you ask me."

"I know, Gabe," mama sighed as she took Erick out of his high chair, settling him on her lap as she started on her own breakfast, "But your father is working on teaching her something and I can't go against his wishes. Don't worry, though, he's planning on letting Embry come back once school starts up again."

"I'm thinking it should be sooner but hey," Gabe lifted a shoulder as he washed his hands, moving across the kitchen to give his mother another kiss, "Dad makes the rules. I'm gonna take my bike out for a bit before heading over to Vivi's."

"Not in the forest, Gabriel," mama looked up at him, the furrow between her dark eyebrows expressing worry, "Without your cousins with you, it'll take too long to get help if you get hurt."

"Don't worry, mama. I'll go over and visit Granma –promise I'll be careful."

He headed out the back door, picking up his whistling as he headed towards Billy's place, all of them storing their dirt bikes in his garage to keep them safe from the rain and cold.

The warmth of the sun touched his face and arms, the cool breeze ruffling his dark hair which was just a tad on the long side.

Yeah, today was definitely going to be a good day.

He spent his morning helping his grandmother turn his old room at her house into a multi-purpose playroom, a corner specifically set aside for his drum set which Grandma Sue agreed he could keep there as long as he promised to play only whenever she and Grandpa Charlie weren't in the house.

Half an hour before noon, he kissed his grandmother good-bye and headed back to La Push, the weather a bit warmer than it had been that morning but it didn't bother him even though he was driving slower than what his bike could reach, having promised his mother to do so.

Reaching his uncle's house, he parked his dirt bike in the driveway besides the dark blue Mustang, pocketing the keys before removing his helmet –another must thanks to his mama's constant worrying –and hanging it on the handlebars before heading up to the front door.

Normally, he would just go right in but since this was a date –and he made sure Vivi knew this was their actual first date being Marc had always tagged along whenever they went to the ice cream shop or the movies –he went ahead and knocked, running his fingers through his hair so it wouldn't be flat.

A couple of minutes passed before the door opened, Aunt Rose giving him a smile as Carlos clung to her leg, the top she was wearing molded against her round stomach, "Gabriel, hi! You didn't have to knock."

"I know," Gabe grinned at her, his eyes dropping to his cousin who would have normally already been tackling him down, "I'm here to pick Vivi up for our date –is Carlos okay?"

"He's missing his Daddy," Aunt Rose ran her fingers through Carlos' hair, the two year old sniffling as he rubbed his face against the soft black leggings she wore with her mint green top, "He's been clingy for the past two days. Come on in, Gabe. Vivi's still upstairs, getting ready for your date."

Gabe grinned at the teasing way she said that, nodding as he stepped into the house that was just as familiar as his own, sitting down at the end of the long couch, Einstein crawling out from under the coffee table to get some attention from him, "How's Einstein been doing without Marc?"

"Not well," Aunt Rose picked up Carlos, probably because it would be hard to walk with him wrapped around her leg, and moved towards the armchair she had been sitting on, an open book resting on it giving Gabe an idea of what they'd been doing before he arrived, "He's been under that table for two days, just watching the front door. Hey! Would you and Vivi be able to take him out? He needs to get fresh air and some exercise."

"Well, as long as Marc hasn't trained him to bite me if I hold Vivi's hand, I guess we can take him."

Vivi's giggles had him look up, his blue eyes brightening as she came down the stairs, her red-gold hair falling in loose curls down her back. She looked beautiful in an olive green sweater type dress, the black belt around her tiny waist matching the black leggings under the dress, black flats on her feet completing the outfit.

"Marc hasn't trained Einstein to bite for any reason," Vivi told him as she stepped into the living room, her eyes bright as she noticed how the shirt Gabe was wearing not only made his shoulders look wider but it also made his skin seem darker and his eyes were even a brighter blue than usual, "Sorry I made you wait."

"No biggie," Gabe stood up, rubbing his suddenly sweaty palms against the dark denim of his jeans, "You're looking very pretty…not that you don't always look pretty, just…"

Vivi bit back a laugh, her bottom lip caught between her teeth for a second before she let it go to give him a smile, "Thank you. Are we taking Einstein with us?"

Gabe nodded, not sure what else to say as he watched her cross the living room to pick up a rather quiet two year old and give him a cuddle, "I'll see you in a bit, Carlos. Want to play when I get back?"

Carlos nodded, twisting in his cousin's arms to reach for his mama, sniffling as she cuddled him into her side, "I stay with mama."

"Of course you do, silly," Vivi ruffled his soft dark hair, laughing as the little boy gave her a frown identical to the occasional one Tio Seth gave out whenever he was upset or not happy, "You need to take care of mama and baby."

"Baby is here," Carlos pointed at his mama's round belly, resting his head against her chest, "I not see baby."

Vivi laughed, leaning down to give her aunt a kiss on the cheek as she gave the baby bump a soft rub, "I'll be back before dinner, Tia. Do you want us to bring you some ice cream from the shop?"

"Ice cream," Carlos' head popped up, hazel eyes going wide as he stared up at his cousin then turned to look up at his mama with those puppy dog eyes of his, "I want ice cream."

"Bring him some chocolate ice cream, please," Tia Rosa reached up to adjust the wide neckline of Vivi's top, cupping her cheek as she smiled up at her, "And I'll have some walnut ice cream, if they have it."

"Okay," Vivi nodded, snapping her fingers as she and Gabe headed towards the front door, "Come on, Einstein, let's go boy!"

He took her hand as soon as the front door closed behind them, the pink blush on her cheeks making him smile as they made their way down the walkway and across the street, the ice cream shop only a couple of more streets down from her house.

"Have you been having fun doing that ballet thing with the dancers up in Seattle?"

Vivi's eyes danced as she looked up at him, feeling so happy he had remembered, "It's so much fun, Gabe! Miss Trinity sits in the front row and lets the artistic director take over. We dance with the others and they treat us like professionals, never like kids."

"That's cool," Gabe smiled as Einstein walked ahead of them, his tail wagging slowly as he sniffed the ground –the old bluetick hound had yet to come to terms with his inability to smell, "Do you think I could come watch sometime?"

Vivi gave him a look of surprise, "You want to watch me practice?"

Gabe shrugged, pushing his free hand into the pocket of his jeans, "Sure. You were really good at that Christmas dance thing you did. It'll be interesting to see how it all gets put together and stuff."

"I'll ask Miss Trinity," Vivi smiled at him, giving his hand a small squeeze as they reached the shop, several of the reservation kids hanging out at the round tables outside the front of the shop, "We have practice tomorrow. If she says yes, then you can come on Saturday…unless you already have something planned, that is."

Gabe shook his head as he opened the door for her, Einstein laying down besides the opening with a huff as he watched the activities before him, "Saturday's good for me."

The girl behind the counter was snapping her gum, bobbing her head to the music playing, some catchy tune by Robin Thicke. She took their order, Gabe paying for their meal even though Vivi said she could pay for hers, giving him a soft thank you when he informed her guys always paid when it was a date.

They took their food outside, Einstein moving under the table to lie at Vivi's feet. They talked about Vivi's dancing, about how Uncle Lian had promised to give Gabe drumming lessons now that they were back from their tour. Vivi asked Gabe if he was still upset about being left behind by Brad and Marc but Gabe said no, telling her how he was having much more fun with her than he would be with the guys.

Vivi knew that, to some extent, he was simply being nice because, let's admit it, Gabe was an adrenaline junkie and had he been allowed to go to Dry Hill, he'd be having a blast but she appreciated knowing he found her just as exhilarating as bike racing.

Once done with their meal, they bought the ice cream for Carlos and Rose, Vivi insisting she pay this time. Holding hands on their way back to her house, their conversation was easy as they shared their thoughts with each other, both comfortable in each other's presence while at the same time, feeling the thrumming anxiety of being together in this way –holding hands and on their first official date.

It was a relaxing afternoon, Vivi and Gabe playing with Carlos, the little boy wanting to put together all his train tracks, which turned into a huge project encompassing the living room, part of the hallway and under the kitchen table, all three laughing together as Carlos insisted on trying out the tracks with his battery operated train as Gabe and Vivi raced to add tracks as the little red engine made its way towards them.

About an hour before dinner, Gabe said his good-byes, Vivi walking him out to the porch, their hands joined between them as they stopped beside his bike.

"I had fun today," Vivi smiled up at him, her pulse fluttering when she felt him rub his thumb over the inside of her wrist, "Thank you for lunch."

Gabe smiled down at her, reaching up to stroke her soft cheek, marveling at the way it pinked as she gave him a shy smile, "Thank you for going out with me. Vivi, I…"

She looked into his blue eyes, a bit concerned at his loss of words since he never seemed to be without them, "What is it?"

Gabe studied her face, noticing the way her eyebrows –a shade darker than her hair –seemed to naturally arch over her eyes which were ringed by thick eyelashes, the tips golden, the color of her eyes a cross between gold and brown with a hint of red…god, she was beautiful.

"What's wrong, Gabriel?"

"Nothing," Gabe shook his head, tucking a long curl behind a perfectly shaped ear, "I just…I would like to kiss you. May I?"

Vivi blushed, her heart beating hard inside her chest as her stomach did that flipping thing whenever she recalled her first kiss –their first kiss. It was definitely something she would like to experience again.

"Yes."

* * *

_Tuesday, June 18__th__ –Second Day of Cheer Camp  
Seattle Pacific University  
Seattle, WA_

"Okay, let's take it from the top. Remember –sharp, clean movements and big smiles!"

One of the camp's coaches paced before the group of fifteen girls, watching them perform one of the six routine cheers they had learned first day of cheer camp.

"Smile, girls! Smile!"

She shook her head as she stopped before one of the three tumblers in this particular team, the fourteen teams attending this week's camp spread out in the large green field, each with their own camp coach pushing them through their routines, "Bailey, you need to smile!"

"I am smiling!"

"No," she shook her head, letting out a sigh as she gave the tall girl a pointed look before walking away, "You are grimacing. Let's do this one more time, from the top, then lunch time. Don't forget you have team brainstorming after lunch for an hour and a half before you meet with your coach in Cheer Room A to discuss ideas."

Bailey glared at the blond woman as she dropped her arms, shaking out her tense shoulders before the chosen captain –an eleven grader named Tiva who drew the winning straw–called out the beginning of the peppy kill-me-now cheer they had learned yesterday.

Pasting a bright smile on her face, she went through the routine with the girls, perfectly executing back flips and round offs but did Coach Picky Bitch notice? No, she just pointed at Bailey and then poked her own cheeks with a big smile on her face –she looked ridiculous, just like the rest of the peppy psycho coaches.

God, she hated this and it was only day two.

Lunch was noisy, the campers all sitting with their own teams, not much fraternization between the schools going on as they talked and ate, laughing as they shared gossip and other girly shit.

Bailey dug into her whole wheat pasta as she grumbled loud enough for her friend Danna, sitting beside her, to hear, "I can't believe I gave up Dry Hill for this hell. If I had known, I would not have tried out for the team."

"What's Dry Hill," Danna asked, eating her steamed vegetables, watching as the girls from two tables down from theirs –they were from a school up in Tacoma –kept looking their way, whispering and giggling amongst themselves.

It had been the overall way the new Quileute cheerleading team had been greeted when they arrived yesterday, along with the fourteen other teams enrolled in that weeks' camp. They stood out among the other girls, not just because they were all first time cheerleaders with a newly formed team, but because they were all Native American, with long black hair, copper toned skin and all tall except for Rizza and Tanya –their two flyers –who were both an inch or two under five feet.

"Dirt bike racetrack," Bailey finished her pasta, ignoring the condescending looks the blue eyed blond in the next table kept giving her. They had met –and developed instant dislike –during tumbling practice earlier that day, one of the few activities where they were mixed with other participating campers outside of their own teams, "My brother and cousin are competing –this is their second week there. I totally should have gone –wouldn't be contemplating murder if I had."

"You race bikes," Kaya's voice was a little on the condescending side as she looked across the table at Bailey, who nodded in response to her question, "But you're a girl."

"So," Bailey shrugged as she tore her garlic bread in half, "There's nothing saying girls can't race bikes."

It was a conversation Bailey didn't want to have but sure enough, all the girls pitched in their own unasked for opinions, dividing their table in half as to whether girls should or shouldn't race bikes.

Yeah, cheer camp was becoming hell on earth for sure.

They made it through the midday meal without Bailey killing anyone which was amazing being she had so many options available to her. They headed to their cabin with the eight bunk beds, five toilets, four showers and three sinks –because counter space needed for all the hair and make-up crap the girls brought was deemed more necessary than basic hygiene -all moving around the room, grabbing notebooks and pens, some taking out their iPods.

Tiva placed her battery operated docking station in the middle of the floor, "Okay, let's all pick a song and we can work together to come up with a dance for the ones we all agree on."

"I think," Kaya spoke up as she sat down, legs tucked under her skinny little butt as she gave Bailey a sideways look, "There should be rules about what kind of music we share…you know, hip-hop and R&B make the best music for cheer routines...not rock or metal or…alternative or whatever."

Bailey was definitely going to be killing someone before the week was over –and little music Nazi bitch just made the top of her hit list.

* * *

_Back in La Push  
Saturday_

Aunt Rose had called the day before to let him know he needed to be ready by seven in the morning. Yawning, he poured himself a bowl of cereal, throwing the now empty box of _Cap'n_ _Crunch_ into the trash bin before opening the fridge to take out the nearly empty gallon of milk. It was a good thing mama was going grocery shopping because they were almost out of food and he didn't really like the idea of starving.

Spooning the cereal into his mouth, he looked over at the microwave clock, seeing he still had twenty minutes to finish his breakfast, brush his teeth and get his shoes on.

"Slow down, Gabe," mama walked into the kitchen, still wearing one of Dad's t-shirts and a pair of her old jean cut-off shorts as she opened the fridge to pull out what she needed for her amazing breakfast casserole…it was so good, he was actually contemplating skipping out on today's plans so he could have some, "Mama, will you make the breakfast casserole again tomorrow?"

Mama smiled as she set everything on the counter –eggs, cheese, sausage, bacon and green peppers –before giving his forehead a kiss, "I'll save you some if you'd like."

Gabe shook his head as he finished his cereal, turning around to rinse the bowl and spoon before placing them in the empty dishwasher, "It doesn't taste as good re-heated."

Mama laughed, wrapping her arms around him when he leaned in for a hug, the warm scent of her giving him a sense of peace and well-being he always associated with his mama, "I'll make you some tomorrow, okay baby?"

"Deal," lifting his head only slightly, he kissed her cheek before pulling away as he glanced over at the microwave clock again, "Oh crap! I gotta go finish getting ready, mama. Aunt Rose and Vivi will be picking me up in five minutes."

"Go then," mama ruffled his hair, laughing at his good-natured grumble as he headed down the hall and up the stairs, all the while finger combing his hair back in place, "Make sure you behave, Gabriel!"

His cheeky comment before he reached the second floor came back to her, causing her to laugh, "Don't I always?"

The ride into Seattle was a bit awkward, Vivi sitting in the middle with Gabe on one side and Nika at the other, a sleeping Carlos having been left with his Aunt Leah for a couple of hours. She dropped them off in front of McCaw Hall, Aunt Rose pulling out once they were inside the doors.

Nika disappeared into the auditorium where music was playing; Vivi's hand in Gabe's kept her from following after her best friend as he pulled her into his side, her gold-brown eyes wide as she looked up at him, "What's wrong?"

He smiled down at her as the tip of their noses brushed, his minty fresh breath soft against her lips, "I didn't get to kiss you good-morning."

Vivi giggled, her face flushing as he pressed his mouth against hers, her free hand reaching up to rest against his chest for a few seconds before she pulled back, giving him a teasing push, "You need to behave or Miss Trinity won't let you come again."

"Hey," Gabe pulled her in closer to wrap his free arm around her back, his entire body going hot then cold then hot again at the feel of her pressed up against him, "I behaved last time."

Vivi giggled as she gave his smiling mouth a quick peck, "I have to go. I'll get in trouble if I'm late."

"I'll be seating in the back," Gabe gave her another quick kiss, squeezing her hand before letting it go, watching her disappear into the dark auditorium before following behind her, finding a seat somewhere in the last few rows.

The auditorium was dark, the stage lit up bright as the company dancers moved around, leaping and prancing, some of them stretching alone or in pairs.

He watched as the older dancers greeted Nika and Vivi like they were part of their group, the younger girls –despite their height –looking decidedly smaller alongside some of the other ballerinas.

The music stopped as the artistic director called out to everyone on stage, giving them some speech Gabe didn't pay attention to while he watched Vivi stretching up on stage, her left leg pulled back and over her head by her two hands.

She was wearing a black one piece suit thing he'd forgotten what was called with white leggings, a pink see through skirt and black leg warmers over her dance shoes. She had given him all the terminology concerning her dancing outfit but he didn't remember it, not really caring except for the fact she looked beautiful, the skin tight fabric making him realize she was starting to…pop out in certain places.

Shifting uncomfortably, he cleared his throat as he looked at the other dancers before settling his gaze back on Vivi, unable to keep himself from admiring the sleek lines of her long legs and the delicate arch of her back, his eyes dropping to the soft curve of her –

The speakers blaring music made him jump in his seat, Gabe swallowing as he focused on the stage as a whole, everyone on it moving in some pre-determined manner defined as ballet dancing.

Ten minutes into them dancing, he saw it –the look he'd seen last Saturday when he first came as well as during the Christmas program thing she'd done with that dickhead.

That look she had –it terrified him, had his stomach tying itself into knots as he watched her move, every step she took making the look of bliss on her face intensify which in turn, made his trepidation escalate.

She loved what she was doing –he could see it all over her face, could feel it radiating from her even from this distance and it made him nervous. He recalled that fight they had back when they were still kids. It had never been resolved, neither one giving in to the other but Vivi never again mentioned becoming a ballerina so Gabe assumed it meant she agreed with him but now…

Seeing her dance made him realize she could actually leave him…she would leave him for this dance thing if he didn't figure out how to keep her with him.

Swallowing past the thick lump in his throat, he watched her spin, doing a split jump before landing into a twirl, her arms fluid with the movement. She was graceful…such beautiful music in motion, Gabe no longer paid attention to the actual sounds filling the auditorium.

She spoke with her body –shared something so deeply profound Gabe was having a hard time grasping it and in his young age, all he could think of was her leaving him.

In that moment of immature clarity, he realized he had to make her love him –love him so much more than she loved this so she would never choose it over him. Never once did it occur to him, in doing so, he would be keeping her from realizing her dreams, from reaching her own stars the way he wanted too with flying. It didn't occur to him, together, they could both work towards making all their dreams come true.

No, Gabriel wasn't yet mature enough to understand love –true love –meant sacrifice and although at times it hurt, in the end, it would help love flourish to an even grander beauty.

Pulling out the marble in his pocket, he looked down at it, the stage lights reaching far enough to have the silver star dance within it. The day she had given him the marble, he had understood it was more –she was giving him everything.

No matter what, he planned on holding on tight –to this as well as her.


End file.
